Sikh deportees ‘sans’ turbans sparks row

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Sunday condemned US authorities for allegedly not allowing Sikh deportees, who were part of the second batch of illegal Indian immigrants brought from America, to wear their turbans.

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.

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After being informed, the SGPC provided turbans to the deportees.

SGPC member and former general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal said deporting Sikhs bare-headed is highly condemnable. “During his meeting with US President Donald Trump, PM Narendra Modi should have raised such concerns. If the Indian government doesn’t, the SGPC will take up the issue with the US government”, he added.

Meanwhile, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia also condemned the US authorities.

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“Bhagwant Mann and his ministers are playing to the gallery on the deportation of youth from the US. But shockingly and shamelessly they are silent on bringing Sikh youth bare head without turbans. Not a single word on this major issue,” Majithia said in a post on social media.

He also urged the Ministry of External Affairs to immediately take up the matter with the US authorities so that such an incident is never repeated in future.