The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has strongly criticised US authorities for allegedly not allowing Sikh deportees to wear their turbans. These deportees were part of the second group of illegal Indian immigrants sent back from the US.
The SGPC issued this statement after videos surfaced on social media showing Sikh deportees without turbans while going through immigration formalities at Amritsar airport.
A US military plane carrying 116 deported Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar airport late Saturday night. One deportee claimed they were handcuffed and had their legs chained during the journey. Among them, 65 were from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, and eight from Gujarat.
SGPC officials, who had arranged food (langar) and transportation for the deportees at the airport, provided turbans to the Sikh deportees.
Also Read: Plane carrying 119 US deportees to land in Amritsar
One Sikh deportee said that when they arrived in the US illegally, they were forced to remove their turbans. When they landed back in Amritsar, they were still without turbans.
SGPC General Secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal condemned the US authorities for this and expressed regret that the deportees were brought in shackles and Sikh deportees were without their turbans. He said the SGPC will raise this issue with the US, emphasising that the turban is an essential part of a Sikh’s identity.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia also criticised the US authorities for allegedly deporting Sikhs without turbans. He urged India’s Ministry of External Affairs to take up the issue with the US government to ensure this does not happen again.
Also Read: Two murder suspects deported from US, arrested in Amritsar
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