Jalandhar, February 12: Sikh passengers were forced to remove their turbans for security check at Rome airport recently.
President of Indian Overseas Congress in Italy Karamjit Singh Dhillon, while addressing mediapersons accompanied by senior Congress leader and MLA from Bholath constituency in Kapurthala district Sukhpal Singh Khaira here yesterday, claimed that he was asked by the Italian Immigration check authorities at the Rome airport to remove his turban for security check.
He alleged that ten other Sikh passengers, accompanying him, were also directed to remove their turbans for security check.
”When I refused to remove my turban in full public view, I was taken to a room where I removed my turban,” Mr Dhillon said.
He said this was for the first time that he was forced to do so in the last 27 years he was living in Italy. He was to leave for India via Doha from Rome airport.
Mr Khaira, who had returned after a month long tour of various cities including New York, also narrated the woeful stories of the Punjabi community in the US who were being ”maltreated by the authorities of the Indian Embassy in New York.” He said, ”As for the complaints against the attitude of the Embassy officials of the Indian consulate was concerned, there was complete unanimity amongst the Punjabi NRI community that they feel let down and are shabbily treated.” ”The Sikh community had to face arrogant behaviour besides the rampantly corrupt embassy paraphernalia, when it comes to renewal and issuance of passports. The Punjabi community, especially the Sikhs are treated as Khalistanis and denied passports,” he claimed.
He said both the issues would be taken up with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee(PPCC) president Capt Amrinder Singh so that a delegation of the Committee could be sent to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to raise the issue vehemently with the concerned authorities.
In this regard, he said he had already talked to Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur.
–UNI