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Key Points

Harsimrat Kaur Badal has written to the Civil Aviation Minister about a serious incident of discrimination. A Sikh passenger named Jeewan Singh was humiliated by Air India staff at Delhi airport. The staff asked him inappropriate questions about his turban and religious conversion. The MP is demanding strict action and better staff training to prevent such incidents.

Key Points: Harsimrat Badal Demands Action for Sikh Passenger Air India Insult

  • MP demands exemplary punishment for staff who harassed Sikh passenger at Delhi airport
  • Passenger Jeewan Singh was questioned about his turban and conversion to Sikhism
  • Staff asked intrusive questions about finances and travel purpose to Singapore
  • Badal seeks airline staff sensitization on Sikh articles of faith and apology
2 min read

Harsimrat Kaur Badal seeks action against airline staff for 'insulting' Sikh

SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal urges Aviation Minister to punish Air India staff for humiliating Sikh passenger Jeewan Singh over turban and appearance.

"why are you wearing a turban and from which caste did you convert to Sikhism - Air India staff to passenger"

Chandigarh, Sep 28

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday urged Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu to ensure exemplary punishment to Air India staff members who allegedly humiliated and insulted a Sikh passenger, besides stressing the need to sensitise airline staff not to pick on articles of faith of passengers.

In a letter to the Union Minister, the Bathinda MP said a Sikh passenger, Jeewan Singh, from Tamil Nadu, was humiliated and insulted by Air India staffers at the New Delhi international airport when he was scheduled to board a flight for Singapore on Wednesday.

She explained that Jeewan Singh, who had embraced Sikhism in 2023 and sported an unshorn beard, was humiliated and harassed on the basis of his perceived appearance, which was not to the liking of the Air India staffers.

Harsimrat Badal said going against all rules and regulations, the staffers asked Jeewan Singh questions like "why are you going to Singapore, how much money do you have in hand, show your bank account details, why are you wearing a turban and from which caste did you convert to Sikhism".

Asserting that such questions were not in the ambit of professional conduct and smacked of discrimination on the basis of appearance, the MP requested a thorough probe into the entire incident and strict punishment to all those who had hurt the religious sentiments of Jeewan Singh, besides subjecting him to unwarranted harassment.

She also requested the minister to give directions to Air India to sensitise its staff about the articles of faith of the Sikh community to ensure no Sikh was subjected to this kind of discrimination in the future.

"These directions should also be included in the standard operating procedures of the airline," she added.

She requested that Air India tender an unqualified apology to Jeewan Singh to send a clear signal that the actions of its staff did not reflect the thinking of the airline, which had the turbaned Maharaja as its mascot.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
As someone who frequently travels by air, I've noticed that airport staff need better training in cultural sensitivity. Sikh turbans and articles of faith should be respected, not questioned. Good initiative by Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
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Aman W
The irony is that Air India has the turbaned Maharaja as their mascot but their staff doesn't respect actual turban-wearing passengers. This shows a serious disconnect between branding and ground reality. 😔
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Sarah B
While I agree the staff behavior was wrong, I hope this doesn't become another political issue. The focus should be on proper training and sensitization programs for all airline staff across India.
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Karthik V
Asking about bank details and caste is completely out of line! Security checks are necessary, but this sounds like pure harassment. The staff should be suspended immediately and proper apology issued.
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Nikhil C
This incident highlights the need for diversity training in all service industries. India is a multicultural country and our service staff should reflect that understanding. Good that this issue is being raised at the parliamentary level.

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