US authorities in dialogue with Sikhs over turban screening
Washington, Aug. 31 (PTI): Members of the Sikh community have been engaged by the US authorities to find a 'workable solution' to its concerns over a new federal policy that subjects air travellers wearing headgear to additional screening.
The head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the agency that enforces security at airports, has told the Sikh community that it "understands" the sensitivity and importance of the head dress screenings at the time of security procedures. The TSA has said that its administrator Kip Hawley has responded to the leaders of the Sikh community. "He expressed understanding about the sensitivity and importance of the Sikh head dress screening. He said TSA takes their concerns seriously and is interested in reaching a workable solution that does not compromise security," the agency has said on its website.
"TSA will implement additional cultural awareness training for its transportation security officers and will continue dialogue with Sikhs and other groups," it added.
Meanwhile, the New York-based Sikh Coalition which took up the issue has said that while it is looking forward to working with the TSA, with its Sikh and Non Sikh partners to device screening procedures, the disputed mechanisms were still in place.
Welcoming the initiative of the TSA, the Coalition has said that while it "looks forward to working with TSA to devise screening procedures that keep America safe and open to all faiths, the disputed screening procedures still remain in effect."
"This means that Sikhs may be subject to pat-down searches of their turbans at airports or even removal of their turbans at the discretion of a TSA screener," it added.
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