Sikh Organization Declares April 13 "World Turban Day"

April 12, 2004

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3620749.stm

On April 12, 2004 the BBC News reported, "A Sikh organisation in northern India has called on all Sikhs to observe 13 April as 'World Turban Day.' The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) said the purpose of the day was to improve international awareness of Sikhism. It believes that distrust and aggression against Sikhs is caused by a general ignorance about the religion. Sikh men have been mistaken for Islamic fundamentalists since the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US. There has been more than one instance where US-based Sikhs have been attacked and even killed. SGPC secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta told the BBC the idea for the day was mooted as a way to try to tackle the suspicion and hatred directed against turban-wearing Sikhs living abroad."