Manjit Singh G.K. asks India, US to set guidelines for Sikhs' safety

Taking strong exception to barring of Indian-American actor, designer and model Waris Ahluwalia from boarding an Aeromexico flight from Mexico City to New York because he refused to remove his turban, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjit Singh G.K. on Tuesday said that he would be writing to both Indian and American governments to put in place a set of guidelines so that the Sikhs do not face such problems in the future.

"I am writing to the authorities concerned in both Indian and American governments that there must be some guidelines as Sikhs are facing problems, shot dead in America and European countries, because of their mistaken identity, which needs to be taken care of as it is high time to do so," Manjit Singh G.K. told ANI.

"Waris Ahluwalia is a world renowned model, whose photos appear on billboards for big brands at America's Times Square and stopping him at the airport just because of his attire (turban) draws condemnations, and I condemn it," he said, adding that if a person like Waris could be stopped at the airport then what would happen to the ordinary Sikhs?

"It happened to me also when I was in Rome (Italy). I was asked to remove my turban, but I never did it. The governments around the globe need to educate their people about the Sikh religion, which stands for brotherhood, equality, non-violence," he said.

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president further said the Government of India should educate the people around the globe about Sikhism.

"I am writing to the authorities concerned in both Indian and American governments that there must be some guidelines as Sikhs are facing problems, shot dead in America and European countries, because of their mistaken identity, which needs to be taken care of as it is high time to do so," he said.