Row over Sikh immigrants deported without turbans, SGPC condemns US

SGPC member Gurcharan Singh Grewal condemned the incident, labelling the deportation of Sikhs without turbans as a serious affront to their religious identity

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The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has strongly condemned US authorities for allegedly forcing Sikh deportees, part of the second batch of illegal Indian immigrants sent back from the US, to remove their turbans during immigration procedures. This condemnation followed the appearance of images on social media showing Sikh deportees without turbans while completing their formalities at Amritsar airport.

 

Upon learning of the incident, the SGPC acted swiftly, providing turbans to the deportees. SGPC member and former general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal expressed his disapproval, labelling the deportation of Sikhs without turbans as a serious affront to their religious identity.

 

“During his meeting with US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have raised such concerns. If the Indian government does not take action, the SGPC will address this issue directly with the US government,” he further said.

 

 

Bikram Singh Majithia, leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), also condemned the US authorities for their actions. He criticised the Punjab government for failing to address the issue, stating, “Bhagwant Mann and his ministers are more concerned with gaining public attention on the deportation of youth from the US. Yet, shockingly and shamefully, they remain silent on the matter of bringing Sikh youth back bare-headed, without turbans. Not a single word has been said about this significant issue.”

 

Majithia further urged the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to immediately raise the matter with the US government to ensure that such an incident is never repeated.

 

As part of its support, the SGPC organised a langar (community kitchen) service at Amritsar airport for the deported Indian nationals and ensured that Sikhs who had been returned without turbans received new ones.

 

'US authorities refused to return our turbans'

 

Amidst this situation, the case of Jaswinder Singh, a 21-year-old from Pandori Arian village in Moga district, has drawn attention. Jaswinder’s illegal journey to the US began after he sold his family’s land, mortgaged their house, and even sold buffaloes to raise Rs 44 lakh to pay an agent to help him immigrate. He was among the second batch of deportees returned by the US, arriving at Amritsar airport late on Saturday.

 

On January 27, after illegally crossing the US-Mexico border, he was detained by US authorities. He told The Indian Express, "As soon as I was detained and taken to the detention centre, they asked me to remove all my clothes, including my turban. We were only allowed to wear a T-shirt, pants, socks, and shoes. They even removed our shoelaces. I and other Sikh youths asked them to at least return our turbans, but they refused. They said, 'Who will be responsible if any of you hang yourself to death?' We were not allowed to wear turbans for the entire duration of our detention. It was only when I reached Amritsar airport that I finally got my luggage back and was able to wrap my head with a parna (a cloth worn by Sikh men).”

 

This incident has raised further concerns about the treatment of Sikh deportees, prompting the SGPC and other leaders to call for immediate action from both the Indian government and the Ministry of External Affairs. 

US plane with 3rd batch Indian immigrants in Amritsar

 

A plane carrying 112 Indians, deported from the United States for unlawfully residing there, arrived in Amritsar on Sunday (February 14) night. This marked the third such arrival in just 10 days as part of the Donald Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigrants.

 

Among the deportees, 31 are from Punjab, 44 from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, two from Uttar Pradesh, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Some of the deportees were met at the airport by their families.

 

During the initial deportation phase, the individuals were reportedly shackled and restrained throughout the flight, only being released upon their arrival in India. This treatment sparked significant political controversy in India, leading to uproar in both Houses of Parliament during the Budget session. Similar claims of mistreatment have surfaced from those who returned on Saturday.

 

In response to the criticism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that the Indian government is in contact with the US to ensure the deportees are treated fairly. He added that the US' policy of deporting illegal migrants is not a new development, but has been ongoing for years.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to the US earlier this week, affirmed that India will repatriate any of its citizens living illegally in the US.