Press Release: Tuesday, 18 November, 2005 (5th Maghar, Samvat 537 Nanakshahi)

New York City Sikhs Testify for Turban Bill

New York, NY: The first public hearing on the Uniform Anti-Discrimination bill (Intro 577) was held in City Hall yesterday, chaired by Joseph Addabbo. A new law proposed by this Bill would allow all uniformed city agencies to exempt an employee from the uniform code, if the code deprives the employee of his right to practise his or her creed or religion.

The effect of the Bill is to allow City Agency employees to wear their religious dress, including the Sikh Turban, said Council Member David I. Weprin, Chair, Finance Committee, who introduced the Bill.

"It is not unreasonable to ask NY city agencies to respect others' religious belief. This Bill is necessary as the testimonies of the communities today will show that existing laws do not have reasonable accommodation.

"For example, the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) has not accepted the Turban at work. The MTA wants its logo on a turban of a Sikh employee. People don't understand the importance of the turban," Mr Weprin told the hearing.

Mr Weprin was responding to the comments of Anthony Crowell, special counsel to Mayor Bloomberg, who testified at the hearing that the Bill undermines existing law, is ambiguous and dangerous for fire-fighters and goes beyond the City Council's legal framework. He also said that the Bill is not necessary as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission protects against discrimination.

"I spoke to Mr Crowell after the hearing and he assured me that the Mayor supports diversity and was not opposed to Sikhs working in City Agencies," said Tejinder Singh, UNITED SIKHS legal Advisor.

"There should not be no let up in the Sikh community's efforts to ensure that this Bill has the full support of Council Members so that Sikhs wearing Turbans could work in City Agencies," he added.

Chairman Joseph Addabbo said in his concluding remarks that further discussion on the Bill will takes place with Mayors office. "At this moment we do not have enough support to override the veto if the need arises, " he said. The Bill has the support of the following Council Members: Weprin, Yassky, Gennaro, James, Comrie, Palma, Liu, Brewer, Perkins, Barron, Lopez, Clarke, Fidler, Gerson, Jennings, Katz, Quinn, Foster, Moskowitz, Gonzalez, Reed, Koppell, Seabrook and Jackson.

Members of American Sikh Consultative Forum (ASCF) and the Sikh Coalition testified at the hearing in support of the Bill. To read the testimonies of ASCF members click here.

"There is nothing about a turban or a hijab that stops one from being a great police officer or transit employee. Our city agencies should have uniform policies that reflect the city's diversity rather than rejecting it. We welcome a bill that will require city agencies to evaluate employees so their ability to do their job, rather than their religious head dress" said Amardeep Singh, Legal Director of Sikh Coalition.

Amrik Singh Rathour testified that "I was qualified to serve in the NYPD and completed the training. I was asked by NYPD to remove my turban and shave my beard or be fired. I filed a federal law suite in Mar 2002 and finally got the verdict in my favor"

Sat Hari Singh Khalsa (aka Kevin Harrington) said "I worked for 21 years as a train operator and no one had problems with my Turban. I was trained wearing my turban. I helped 400 people to evacuate from a train on 9/11. I was discriminated after 9/11 by none other than the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York, (MTA.). I was segregated from my co-workers because of my Turban and beard"

Dr. Amarjit Singh of Voices for Freedom in his testimony said, "Over 200,000 turbaned Sikhs died in the both the world wars fighting in Europe, Middle-East, and Asia which changed the world with the end of Nazism, and Fascism. Now the same Sikhs are being denied their right to turban. How it can be justified? The passing of Intro 577 Bill by the NY city council will send a positive message to the governments of France, Germany and other countries whose laws restrict Sikh religious freedom"

"This bill is diverse in its nature and not only talks about the Sikhs but also about members of other faiths. Identity is not just external expressions but also a resolve to stand up for truth and justice" said Mahinder Singh spokesperson of American Sikh Consultative Forum (ASCF) and chairman of The Sikh Centre, flushing, NY.

"Intro 577 Bill will allow Sikhs to serve their country without sacrificing their religious sentiments. Tomorrow our children will not have to choose between serving their passion and their religious identity from which stems their resolve to stand up for justice and the call to the countries duty" said Kuldip Singh, UNITED SIKHS Director.

Linda Sarsour of Arab American Association of NY said, "People with religious attire have limited protection with existing law. Into 577 should be passed in favor of the people with different religious belief."

Omar Muhamadi of Association of Muslim American Lawyers said, "There would be more problems of expensive litigation by not having this bill in place."

Paramjit Singh Sammi of New York Bar Association said "Discrimination due to attire faced by immigrants is unjustified"

Station agent for MTA Inderjit Singh said, "Four people are facing discrimination in New York due to their religious attire turban. It was never an issue before 9/11. I have been asked to put a MTA logo on my turban. My turban is not a hard hat and I feel discriminated."

Swaranjeet Singh of World Sikh Peace Foundation said "I have experienced discrimination at work after 9/11. The Bill is required to protect the freedom of fellow citizens"

To read a previous related Press Release on the hearing please click www.unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/PRSRLS-16-11-2005-00.htm

Issued by:
Meerat Kaur
Director
International Civil and Human Rights Advocacy
1-888-243-1690

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