Manjit Singh, who was asked to remove his turban at Rome airport
India today took up with Italy the row over a Sikh delegation being asked to remove his turban during security checks at the Rome airport, official sources say.
Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini was called to the External Affairs Ministry over the incident, which took place on Tuesday.
Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee Chief Manjit Singh had alleged that he and members of his delegation were asked to remove their turban during frisking at the Rome International airport.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal called it a "direct assault" on Sikh identity.
The Sikh delegation was finally allowed to go without removing their turbans. According to official sources, the Italian authorities intervened after the Indian mission in Rome took it up with the airport authorities as well as the Italian foreign office.
Sources said the Italian Ambassador assured that strict guidelines had been issued to officials to keep in mind the sensitivities of the large Sikh population in Italy.
According to Punjab's ruling Akali Dal, this was the third such incident at the Italian airport in the past year. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid, urging them to take up the "insult" to Sikhs in Italy.
Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur also raised it in the Lok Sabha today.