Singh'S Ordered To Take Dastara Off Again @ Italy Airport

[HardeepSinghJee]

Faateh Jee. Last weekend the Singhs went to Italy from the UK for Amrit Parchar tour. They were mistreated by the airport staff and with humiliation were asked to take there dastara off. There will be discussion on sangat tv @ 9pm today with Jathedar Raghbir Singh, Bhai Tarsem Singh and Bhai Tarunjeet Singh. Please tune in and fwd this to everyone

[Pyara]

I missed the programme so apologies if this was addressed on the show.

Did the jatha of Singhs refuse to remove their Dastaars?

What can the Italian authorties do if you refuse to remove your Dastaar, in other words how far are the Italian authorties allowed to go?

There seems to be many Singhs willing to eventually remove their Dastaars at the search stage but has any Singh actually stood their ground and refused point blank?

My point is, are we (Sikhs) giving in too easily to these "forced" or "ordered" removals? Should we be refusing altogether!

Perhaps I'm being presumptuous, but if some of us makes the stand and others will follow.

[punjab5]

Would be a great test, if they did refuse and then also refused therefore to Travel.

Then if an Indian citizen contact the Indian Embassy to arrange for their travel back to their country, without being forced to take off their Dastar. Likewise if a British Citizen, then contacting the British Embassy. As passport holders, we have the right to be protected by our respective countries.

I missed the programme so apologies if this was addressed on the show.

Did the jatha of Singhs refuse to remove their Dastaars?

What can the Italian authorties do if you refuse to remove your Dastaar, in other words how far are the Italian authorties allowed to go?

There seems to be many Singhs willing to eventually remove their Dastaars at the search stage but has any Singh actually stood their ground and refused point blank?

My point is, are we (Sikhs) giving in too easily to these "forced" or "ordered" removals? Should we be refusing altogether!

Perhaps I'm being presumptuous, but if one of us makes the stand and others may follow.

[Pyara]

Would be a great test, if they did refuse and then also refused therefore to Travel.

Then if an Indian citizen contact the Indian Embassy to arrange for their travel back to their country, without being forced to take off their Dastar. Likewise if a British Citizen, then contacting the British Embassy. As passport holders, we have the right to be protected by our respective countries.

I suppose the stand one makes depends on the Panthic appetite of the individual Sikh, in the sense of accepting the fact that he/she could be detained for a short period of time.

Nevertheless, surely a Jatha/group of Sikhs have a greater leverage (than an individual Sikh) over the Italian authorities if they all refused to comply with the "forced" search collectively. I believe we (as modern Sikhs) are not prepared to be arrested for our beliefs as perhaps our forefathers were and that is probably what will work against us regarding this issue. If enough Sikhs refuse point blank to comply with dastaar removals then a message will be sent to the European Airport Security.

No one can "order" or "force" the removal of the Dastaar from Guru Gobind Singh's Sikh but we can be weak and remove our own Dastaars. Apologies if I have offended anyone, but that's my personal take on it.

[Sarpunch]

I watched the show and was very dissapointed!

Jathedar Ragbir Singh, did not take a stand and neither did Tarsem Singh or Tarunjeet Singh.

My point is, if a Jathedar removes his dastar, it does not send a good message to other Sikhs and even non-Sikhs.

They were only in Italy, it would have showed some honour if they turned around and said No, walked out the Airport and then travelled back to England by Bus or Train.

If the Jathedar is willing to remove his dastaar, so easily, then what hope do the rest of the Sikhs have.

[West London Singh]

Then if an Indian citizen contact the Indian Embassy to arrange for their travel back to their country, without being forced to take off their Dastar. Likewise if a British Citizen, then contacting the British Embassy. As passport holders, we have the right to be protected by our respective countries.

first of all, I'm sure they're probably all British citizens...which brings me to my second point : Britain = Italy etc. Its all one big country in reality. No point in contacting any british embassy.....this is more of a case to fight in the European Court of Justice on the grounds of the Italians flouting their obligations under the 'Free Movement of Persons' rule. The British sikhs have a fundamental right to visit as they please to Italy (by being told to remove their turbans it has an equivalent effect of being refused entry). The Italians are probably invoking a dergoation under directive 2004/38 under the grounds of public health and security. However, if challenged, I don't think that would be allowed because if it's not a public health and security concern for the UK than why should it be for Italy ?