SGPC objects to wrong depiction of turban in GST advt

AMRITSAR: Fuming over Union government’s advertisement on Goods and Service tax (GST) published in newspapers, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Saturday alleged that the advertisement desecrated turban of Sikhs.

Issued by the Central Board of Excise and Customs, an undertaking of Union government, the advertisement was published on Friday.

The ad carried images of people belonging to different sections of the country, and turban is fitted on head of a person with photoshop techniques to make him look like a Sikh.

Taking serious note of this, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Kirpal Singh Badungar, in a press statement, condemned the act citing it is disrespect of turban considered sacred by Sikhs.

“Turbaned Sikhs have made unprecedented achievements across the world and even former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also carried the same identity. So the entire country knows the sanctity of a dastar (turban),” he said.

Demanding strict actions against the authorities concerned, Badungar said the fabricated image of a Sikh should be replaced with that of real Sikh as this act has hurt Sikh sentiments and the objectionable advertisement should not be issued.

Turbaned Sikhs have made unprecedented achievements across globe. So the entire country knows the sanctity of a turban.

KIRPAL SINGH BADUNGAR, SGPC chief