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Will new US turban law apply to PM, asks MP

August 30, 2007 12:53 IST

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Rajya Sabha member Dr M S Gill, who has moved a call attention notice in the Rajya Sabha over the United States government's new proposal to ask the Sikhs to remove their turban at the immigration counter before entering United States, has stated that the tech savvy Americans can find ways and means to look through the turbans without the person wearing them.

The Congress member from Punjab wanted to know how the US administration will treat Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahulwalia and Sikh parliamentarians if they go to United States now.

"This is a serious issue and I have given a notice to raise this matter," Dr Gill told rediff.com outside the parliament house on Thursday.

He made it clear the issue should not be mixed with the law passed by France sometime back. "The France issue is a religious one while this is purely an administrative issue related to the security of United States.

"I would like to point out that Sikhs are law abiding citizens and many nations seek Sikh farmers. A country like the US that can take pictures from space and shoot pictures underwater can surely find some gadget by which it can see through a turban.

"I will ask External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to take up the issue with the US government," Dr Gill, former chief election commissioner of India said.

Onkar Singh in New Delhi