Sikh comedian forced to remove turban at US airport

Image
Press Trust of India San Francisco
Last Updated : Feb 23 2016 | 1:02 PM IST
An Indo-Canadian Sikh comedian was forced to take off his turban here during a security check, weeks after a Sikh-American actor was barred from boarding a flight in Mexico for refusing to take off his turban.
Jasmeet Singh, who's known on the internet as "JusReign," posted about the incident on Twitter, NewYork Daily reported.
"So the (agents) made me take off my turban in extra screening or they said I wouldn't be able to be let through to catch my flight," he tweeted.
"After finding absolutely nothing wrong because a turban is just cloth and the whole thing is stupid I ask for a mirror to tie it back again.
"The agent tells me there are no mirrors and that I can just walk down the terminal to the nearest restroom without my turban on," Singh tweeted.
Turbans are mandatory in public for Sikh men, and are worn to protect the hair, as well as to convey a sense of identity.
On February 9, Waris Ahluwalia, a Sikh-American actor, model and designer was barred from boarding Aeromexico flight from Mexico City to New York after he refused to remove his turban during a security check, drawing swift condemnation from the fashion community.
Later, Mexico's flag carrier apologised to the 41-year-old actor saying it "recognises and is proud of the diversity of its passengers".
"We apologise to Mr Waris Ahluwalia for the bad experience he went through with one of our security personnel," Aeromexico had said in a statement.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 23 2016 | 1:02 PM IST

Next Story