Bathinda: Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has written to Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, demanding strict action against Air India staff members accused of humiliating a Sikh passenger at New Delhi International Airport.
Badal said Jeewan Singh, a resident of Tamil Nadu who adopted Sikhism in 2023, was allegedly harassed by airline staff on Wednesday while boarding a flight to Singapore. According to her, Singh, who maintains an unshorn beard and turban, was subjected to discriminatory questioning over his faith and personal background.
She stated that staff members asked inappropriate questions such as: “Why are you going to Singapore? How much money do you have? Show your bank details. Why are you wearing a turban? From which caste did you convert to Sikhism?” Badal termed these remarks unprofessional, discriminatory, and a violation of passenger rights.
Calling the incident an insult to Sikh religious identity, the MP urged the Union Minister to order a probe and ensure exemplary punishment for those responsible. She also pressed for mandatory sensitisation training for airline employees regarding Sikh articles of faith and insisted that these measures be incorporated into Air India’s standard operating procedures.
Further, Badal demanded that Air India issue a public apology to Jeewan Singh, noting that the alleged behaviour contradicted the airline’s cultural symbol—the turbaned Maharaja.
