New Delhi, March 23: External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Wednesday condemned the Milan incident, where Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh’s coach Amritinder Singh was forced to remove his turban, referring to it as national insult.
Replying to the opposition’s question of what was he doing to ensure that such incidents are not repeated, Krishna told Parliament that the government had taken up the matter with the Italian authorities and that it was not just a case of Sikh pride but a national insult.
“It’s a national insult,” he said.
Top Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh’s coach Amritinder Singh was on Tuesday forced to remove his turban by security officials for the second time at the same Milan airport where he had to endure a painful ordeal last week.
Amritinder, who was travelling with Jeev for the Sicillian Open, was rudely told on March 15 by Milan airport security officials that he could either remove the turban or not board the flight which led to protest from the Indian government.
Despite the expression of “regret” from Italy on that episode, the security officials of the same airport again asked Amritinder to remove his turban or miss the flight, which left Jeev and his coach stunned.
Amritinder showed a letter of apology from the Italian Golf Federation on what happened last week but to no avail.
Amritinder said he was taken to a private room this time and surrounded by 10 policemen while he removed his turban.
“I understand that rules are important but then why are they not followed. Most importantly, what is the Italian government’s policy on turbaned Sikhs. Are they all guilty till proved innocent?” asked Amritinder.
—Agencies