NEW YORK: A Sikh-American has sued the New York Police Department for alleged religious discrimination, saying it fired him for refusing to remove his turban and trim his beard.

Amric Singh Rathour, along with the Sikh Coalition, have filed a federal lawsuit charging the NYPD with religious discrimination and challenging its "no turban policy".

Filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, the complaint names NYPD commissioner Raymond W Kelly, the NYPD and the City of New York as defendants.

It charges the three of them with religious discrimination, negligence, harassment/intimidation, false imprisonment/retaliation and emotional distress.

The complaint filed in the court details the manner in which Rathour was "repeatedly pressured" to remove his turban. Among other things, he was told that he should "make a change" so that his turban and beard "come off".

"I felt I was being punished because I am a Sikh," Rathour said at a press conference.

Present at the press conference were members of the Sikh Coalition, Sikh police officers from Britain and Canada, and representatives from the Muslim, Hispanic and Buddhist communities, all of whom spoke briefly and backed Rathour.

As per the complaint, copies of which were made available to the media, Rathour applied for the position of a level II traffic enforcement agent (TEA) officer of the NYPD in and around late 2000.

The employment duties of Level II TEA officers are limited to preparing and filing of parking summons and directing street and vehicular traffic.

Rathour’s counsel Ravinder Singh Bhalla said as part of the application process, his client had cleared the physical examination, psychological examination, civil service written examination, as well as a background check.

In 2001, Rathour was sworn in as officer of the NYPD, Bhalla said. At the ceremony, in accordance with his religious beliefs, he wore his turban and maintained his uncut beard.

According to Bhalla, at no time prior to or during the course of the swearing in ceremony, did anyone from the NYPD advise Rathour that wearing a turban and maintaining a beard were prohibited by the department in the course of his training and employment.

However, when Rathour arrived for his first day of training, he was told by an NYPD official that TEA officers are required to wear a hat over their head as a mandatory part of their uniform.

When Rathour objected, he was told that he may keep his uncut facial hair, but would have to forego the turban, Bhalla said.

Rathour then submitted a religious accommodation request form to the NYPD’s Equal Employment Office, which was disapproved. He was also held captive in an empty room and told he would not be permitted to attend training classes as "he was not in uniform", the counsel said.

Rathour said he was born and brought up in New York, and that it was his childhood dream to become a policeman.

WLWD 2000 Inc. announced the US and worldwide release of  the TV program: "MISTAKEN IDENTITY: Sikhs in America" which took nine months to complete, involving extensive travel and  filming on locations across the country from NY/NJ/CT to Washington, DC, Chicago, IL, Cleveland, OH, to California (San Francisco, Yuba City, Palo Alto to Los Angeles, etc). Negotiations are underway with PBS, BBC, STAR-TV and SONY, etc. to broadcast the program during the month of November, when Sikhs celebrate the birthday of Guru Nanak – founder of Sikhism over 500 years ago.

The objective is to inform and educate mainstream Americans and non-Sikhs in the USA and worldwide — Who are Sikhs, What is Sikhism and the economic contribution of Sikh Americans since 1889, when the first immigrants arrived in California – over 100 years ago.

The documentary TV program goes beyond the shock and common wrath that consumed us all in the immediate aftermath of September 11. In the face of such adversity, the cherished ideals (liberty and freedom of speech, etc.) that guard the cornerstones of American society became wounded by victimization of fellow Americans – demonizing those who simply looked like the terrorists who had perpetrated the heinous crimes.

It tells the visual story of Sikhs in America in a post September 11 America, through the eyes of 23-year old Amanda Gesine, host and investigative journalist, who coincidentally, discovers her Sikh American neighbors, for the first time.  A college student at George Washington University in DC, she conceived the idea at a candlelight vigilance, as WLWD 2000’s R & D pitched for a Asian American WTC story.

Talking with young Sikhs her own age, she learns about the sudden racial profiling, verbal abuse and physical assaults, simply because they wore turbans and beards. Together, they discussed that this was due to sheer ignorance and fear of fellow Americans. She concluded that it was the demonization of the turban and the beard that created the huge backlash against Sikh Americans.  She learned that it was young America – men who rushed around waving baseball bats and throwing beer cans at Sikh taxi drivers and old turbaned Sikh men.  Her role was crucial in reaching out for more understanding among her own younger generation.

With Amanda’s initiation, the TV program spotlights and discusses the experiences of Sikhs in America – one ethnic group that makes up a small fragment of the American population. "MISTAKEN IDENTITY" charts her personal journey – demystifying the enigma of Sikh Americans and shares the hopes and desires of Americans from all ethnic backgrounds who seek to close ranks against bigotry and hatred and make a united stand against terrorism.

The important ethos of this TV program does not pertain to an exclusive American audience. In fact, it speaks to global TV viewers who appreciate the impact of East and West cultures (both in socio-economic terms and in life style/material terms) – the key demographic that TV advertisers and corporate sponsors seek to target.

Produced and directed by Vinanti Sarkar, President of WLWD 2000 Inc. (a boutique digital TV production company) headquartered in midtown New York. Philip Marshall, 4-time Emmy Award winning editor was hired to take over 36-40 hours of content footage with a strong script, targeting mainstream America and non-Sikhs.

WLWD 2000 Inc. received support from the Sikhs of Yuba City who understood the importance of the TV program, President, Dr. Narinder Singh Bajwa and members of the Punjabi American Heritage Society and the Yuba City Gurdwara. Executive Producer, Dr. Jasbir Singh Kang, M.D. believed the program as a "wake up call", with support from Teji "Tony" Singh, Parry Singh and K.P. Singh, Sikh Educational & Cultural Society of Indianapolis/Avtar Singh, Sikh Satsang of Indianapolis. The final edit was made possible by Vikram Chatwal, Producer and Executive Producers: Shining Sung (Taiwanese American), Shahid Hussain (Pakistani), with Ava Chien (Chinese American) sending the TV program for review to CCTV in mainland China.

Photographs and phone intereviews can be made available on request

Westcoast: Dr. Jasbir Singh Kang, Tel: 530-300-3735 /  sikhsangat@yahoo.com

Eastcoast:  Dir/Prod V Sarkar,  Tel 212-859-4568  / vsarkar@aol.com

We like to express our concern regarding dangers and misunderstanding created about Americans of Sikh faith by Dateline story Forbidden Love on NBC on August 27, 2002. We rather appreciate efforts of NBC to highlight this story of heinous crime by one family of British Columbia but unfortunately this story has tarnished image of all Sikhs in USA. Sikhs have lived over 100 years in USA and Canada but they have been most misunderstood Americans, especially many Sikh-Americans have faced  hate crimes and even few have been killed since 9/11 by some ignorant Americans. Media has done poor job by confusing all turban-wearing (99% of turban wearing Americans are Sikhs) Americans with Taliban. We wish your reporter would cover unfortunate killing of Balbir Singh Sodhi of Mesa, Arizona or killing of his brother Sukhpal Singh Sodhi in San Francisco. These people were killed just because of their appearance.

Your reporter again and again linked murder of Jessie (the girl in this story) to Sikh culture and indirectly blamed on Sikh religion. It is like blaming every rape and murder by a criminal individual on his/her religion/community. Sikhs are not an ancient religion (as claimed by your reporter) rather only five hundred year old progressive faith. It respects gender equality. Yes, in Indian culture arranged marriages are common amongst all people irrespective of their faiths- like Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Buddhist people of India. It is a cultural phenomenon rather than any thing to do with religion or faith. In Yuba City, California (10% residents are Sikhs) most of the marriages are love marriages blessed by their parents. So it is very unfortunate that your story is going to create lot more confusion amongst ignorant people. Most Sikh girls in America are highly educated and doing professional jobs (even in India) also surving in police and army.

Also, there were some technical hitches in this story, no one was allowed to represent Sikh point of view on this story. Love letters shown in this story were written in Punjabi/Gurmukhi but Jessie was not able to read affidavit written in Punjabi, then how could she read those love letters. Most baptized Sikhs carry small kirpan but three feet long sword (probable murder weapon) was confused again again as a Sikh symbol. Punjab police is notoriously known for its records of consistent violation of human rights (please refer to Amnesty International records). Even Indian courts don’t readily accept confessions obtained under police torture.

Once again we express our sorrow at tragic death of this unfortunate young beautiful girl, but please don’t let your reporters tarnish the image of all Sikhs in America. There is no link between this crime and Sikh faith. Please, at least have some one represent Sikh point of view on this story in your future programs.

Sincerely,
Jasbir Singh Kang MD
Spokesperson, Punjabi American Heritage Society
Yuba City, CA
530-300-3735