It is really unsettling that turbaned Sikhs are subject to racial profiling, hate crimes and hate graffiti in some countries as they are messed up with another religio-ethnic group. It is more disquieting that even after a century of their regular migration across seven seas and their stellar role in the developments of the countries of their adoption, Sikh diaspora is still struggling to spread awareness among natives about the distinctiveness and uniqueness of Sikh turban. The recent vandalization of Vermont Gurdwara in Los Angeles, also known as the Hollywood Sikh temple, with a hate graffiti is indeed very disturbing. As per media reports, one of the messages scrawled on the pristine white walls of this California Gurdwara in the USA was a menacing call for ‘nuking’ the Sikhs. The vandal also ominously threatened to slit the throat of the brave man who had confronted him while scrawling the graffiti. Earlier too, Sikh religious places and turbaned Sikhs had been targeted and killed at several places; their business establishments damaged and their dress derided.

France had banned turban a few year ago. Many others, including Italy, are finding fault with it. This, when the Sikh community follows a scripture -the holy Guru Granth Sahib, the living ‘shabad’ Guru- that is universal in character, secular and scientific in approach, wedded to inter-faith harmony and committed to the amelioration of the whole mankind. The ready help given by Sikhs to people in distress by organizing free community kitchen(‘langar’), providing medicines and other necessary items of daily use to them, never ever even thinking about their caste, creed or color, is the hallmark of the all-inclusive Sikh credo.

After all, the Sikh ‘Ardas'(prayer) concludes with the Sikh cardinal principle of ‘Sarbat Da Bhala'(well-being of all). Even then, sadly enough, the Sikh diaspora is singled out for snides, insinuendoes /insinuations, racial remarks, attacks and discrimination.

In such a grim scenario, eminent journalist and writer N.S. Shergill has emerged at the center-stage as a torch-bearer of the turbaned Sikhs’ cause. Seeming to have been catapulted by ‘Waheguru’ as a crusader for the dignity and distinctiveness of Sikh turban, Shergill has done a Yeoman’s service to the cause in his latest publication “International Vaisakhi Souvenir-2017”.

He had championed it in his earlier publication “Indians Abroad”, brought out on the occasion of the 350th ‘Parkash Purb’ of Guru Gobind Singh ji, the tenth Guru of Sikhs and creator of new socio-religious revolutionary Order ie Khalsa Panth. Though Shergill is virtually a ‘one-man-army’, others will definitely join his campaign. The first turbaned Sikh MP of the UK Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi {Tan Dhesi) and the first turbaned Sikh Defence minister of Canada Mr Harjit Singh Sajjan would hopefully do their bits, and best, on this burning issue exercising the minds of Sikh diaspora. Turban is the crowning glory of a Sikh. It is an inalienable and inviolable article of faith for Sikhs. It is their unique identity. It is their ‘aan, baan, shan’. I pray that ‘Pagri sir da taj rahe/paij, patt atey laaj rahe”!

Let us all join Shergill’s crusade for the distinct Sikh turban! As Majrooh Sultanpuri said famously- “Main akela hi chala tha janib-e- manzil, magar log saath aate gaye aur caravan banta gaya”.

 (The author is a veteran Journalist)