EU directive to search turbans on hold: UK
Britain has put a European Union directive about frisking of religious headgear at airports on hold after Sikhs complained that the methods used would affect the dignity of turban, one of the signs of the Sikh religion. Britain’s transport ministry said the EU directive, which had been implemented since April, has now been put on hold till a
solution to the issue can be found. The EU directive had instructed airport security staff across Europe to use hands for headgear checks if the metal detector goes off during security search.
“The department has written to airports to advise them to continue using the previous methods of screening religious headwear for the time being. These methods do not require all headgear to be touched. We will then work with the airport industry and religious communities to find an acceptable long-term solution to this issue,” a department for transport spokesperson told this newspaper.
At present, the second search is done with help of handheld metal detectors, without touching headgear, the DfT spokesperson added. The new EU directive is being opposed by the Sikhs and many Sikh groups in Britain as they consider checking of turbans by hand or security-enforced removal of turbans in public a degrading and an insult to their religion. The Sikh groups have suggested that either hand-held metal detectors could be used long-term or the Sikh passenger could touch their own turbans and have their hands swabbed to check for explosive material as practised in the USA.
“The campaign launched less than two weeks ago has shown what Sikhs are capable of doing when they come together and our media, such as the Sikh Channel, encourage Sikhs up and down the country to exert pressure on MPs. For the secretary of state (Philip Hammond) to issue a directive to all UK airports on the eve of what was predicted to be a massive Sikh lobby that may have attracted around 1,000 Sikhs to the Houses of Parliament shows the power of lobbying,” UK Sikh Federation chief Bhai Amrik Singh said.
“It is disrespectful for anyone else to touch the turban other than the individual (wearer) themselves,” UK Sikh Federation activist Dabinderjit Singh said. “It is almost a humiliation. It is very difficult to describe when someone touches your turban. Sikhs regard it as a crown.”
The Sikh Federation is in the battle to remove the new EU directives for the long haul. “The reports that we’ve had from France and Italy in the last few weeks is that Sikhs are being asked to remove their turbans,” Mr Singh said, adding that the lobby group was aware that the fight against the EU would take long.
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