Wed Dec 15 2010, Amritsar: Outraged at the turban becoming the object of intense searches at American airports, Sikhs led by its top representative body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) will protest in front of the US embassy in Delhi on December 23.
There have been several incidents of Sikhs being told to take off the turban at airport security lines for a special check. The most recent case has been that of the Indian envoy to the United Nations, Hardeep Singh, whose turban was patted down at the Houston airport in America.
SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said the body would request members and the general public to reach Delhi for the planned event to raise awareness about this 'humiliation of Sikhs' for wearing the turban.
Puri's security check and also that of Indian envoy to the US Meera Shanker has also rattled the central government with India conveying to the US last Saturday a stern tit-for-tat message that such incidents call for a “review” of privileges and facilities extended to American diplomats in India.
This “strong concern” was communicated to the Deputy chief of mission in the US embassy Donald Lu, who was called on Saturday afternoon by Jawed Ashraf, Joint Secretary (in-charge of America division) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
MEA sources said that Ashraf told Lu that New Delhi respects the privileges of foreign diplomats in India and extends diplomatic courtesies to them. But such incidents “naturally lead to calls for review” of privileges and facilities given in India.