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Indian diplomat's turban causes stir with Texas airport security
UN Envoy Hardeep Singh Puri
by Joseph Ernest December 13, 2010
Newscast Media -- Last year's attempt of the underwear bomber to smuggle and detonate explosives aboard a plane has created an environment in airports across the country that many travelers view as an infringement on their civil rights. Some travelers in particular appear to be targets especially those of Middle Eastern persuasion, or some with no affiliation with Islam like Sikh men who wear turbans, but are actually Hindu not Muslim.
The Hindu press reported today that a few weeks ago in Houston, Texas airport security detained India's UN envoy Hardeep Puri, for about half an hour and his crime was wearing a turban. As a Sikh, Puri's tradition requires him to cover his head in public at all times. The turban is not permitted to be touched and is a symbol of piety and self-respect.
This however, did not stop airport officials from asking Puri to remove his turban during a security check at Houston Airport two weeks back, sources said.
Singh manned-up to airport officials and said, "No, you cannot check my turban. I will not allow you to touch my turban."
He offered to touch the turban himself and said the officials had no right to touch his turban. He then cited TSA regulations in search of foreign diplomats.
"Obviously you don't know your own rules," he told a security agent. The agent insisted that he had to touch. "Don't tell me the rules," the security agent replied.
Surprisingly, when the security agents checked the rules, the Indian diplomat was correct, and they humbly apologized to the Indian ambassador.
The country has lodged an official protest with US authorities through its Consulate General in Houston, sources said in New Delhi.
"I have taken it up with the US authorities and the matter is at that stage. Secretary of state Hillary Clinton has also give an indication to the fact that they have to revisit some of these procedures, particularly with reference to diplomatic cover of other countries," external affairs minister S M Krishna said in New Delhi when asked about these searches. Add Comments>>
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