The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) on Sunday strongly objected to the United States authorities' treatment of Sikh deportees who arrived in Amritsar in three batches in the past few days. The SGPC particularly condemned US officials for allegedly not allowing Sikh deportees to wear turban.
SGPC is a religious organisation responsible for the management and administration of gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana, and other states.
Criticising the US authorities over the alleged treatment of Sikh deportees, SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal said they will raise the issue with Donald Trump administration officials. “Turban is the part of a Sikh,” PTI quoted Grewal.
Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia urged the Ministry of External Affairs to immediately raise the matter with the US authorities so that such an incident is never repeated.
Two batches of Indians living in the United States arrived in Amritsar on Saturday and Sunday on US military aircraft. Another arrived on February 5.
The SGPC statement came after some visuals appeared on social media showing Sikh deportees without turbans while completing their immigration formalities at the Amritsar airport.
SGPC officials, who were deputed for providing 'langar' and bus service for deportees on Saturday night at the airport, provided 'dastar' (turban) to Sikh deportees.
One of the Sikh deportees claimed that when they entered the US illegally, they were asked to remove their turbans, reported PTI.
It is a matter of regret that deportees were brought in shackles and Sikh deportees were not wearing turbans, Gurcharan Singh Grewal told PTI.
(By arrangement with livemint.com)
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) on Sunday strongly objected to the United States authorities' treatment of Sikh deportees who arrived in Amritsar in three batches in the past few days. The SGPC particularly condemned US officials for allegedly not allowing Sikh deportees to wear turban.
SGPC is a religious organisation responsible for the management and administration of gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana, and other states.
Criticising the US authorities over the alleged treatment of Sikh deportees, SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal said they will raise the issue with Donald Trump administration officials. “Turban is the part of a Sikh,” PTI quoted Grewal.
Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia urged the Ministry of External Affairs to immediately raise the matter with the US authorities so that such an incident is never repeated.
Two batches of Indians living in the United States arrived in Amritsar on Saturday and Sunday on US military aircraft. Another arrived on February 5.
The SGPC statement came after some visuals appeared on social media showing Sikh deportees without turbans while completing their immigration formalities at the Amritsar airport.
SGPC officials, who were deputed for providing 'langar' and bus service for deportees on Saturday night at the airport, provided 'dastar' (turban) to Sikh deportees.
One of the Sikh deportees claimed that when they entered the US illegally, they were asked to remove their turbans, reported PTI.
It is a matter of regret that deportees were brought in shackles and Sikh deportees were not wearing turbans, Gurcharan Singh Grewal told PTI.
(By arrangement with livemint.com)
