Virendra Singh, a BJP MP from Bhadohi, MP has alleged that U.S. embassy denied him a visa objecting to his turban.
Mr. Singh told The Hindu that he had applied for a visa after a group of U.S. experts and officials visited him to learn about agriculture and invited him to visit the American countryside.
“I am a wrestler and an agriculturalist and I wear a turban as a sign of my dignity and pride. I cannot compromise on my turban for going to the U.S. I had been invited by U.S. officials to visit their country and give lectures on agricultural issues, but when I visited the embassy on Wednesday, the officials asked me to come with photographs without the turban and ordered me to take it off,” Mr. Singh said.
In response, the U.S. Embassy said that it follows a non-discriminatory policy on visas. “During the visa application process, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi does not ask individuals to remove turbans or other religious dress,” the Embassy said in a statement on Friday.
The Ministry of External Affairs said it was studying the case.
Sourced from The Hindu, Featured image courtesy: www.sarkaritel.com
