Angry over two Sikh members of the national basketball team being allegedly asked to remove their turbans at the recently-concluded FIBA Asia Cup in China, the Delhi Congress called upon Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to take up the matter strongly with the International Basketball Federation (IBF).
Expressing surprise and shock Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh lovely has written to the Union Sports Minister. Two Indian players Amritpal Singh and Amjyot Singh were prevented from playing with their turbans during the recent Asia Cup at Wuhan (China).
lovely has pointed that such an action has hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community “not only in India, but all over the world”. In the letter, he said that never before in the past, no Sikh player was ever prevented from playing with his turban on.
“The Sikh community’s achievements on the sports arena are legendary as they have brought laurels to the country in many sports events, from international sporting contests. The Sikhs were never prevented from competing with their turbans on, even in major sporting events such as the Olympic Games, and it was indeed shocking and surprising that the Asia Cup organisers thought otherwise”, he noted in his letter.
The Delhi Congress chief has requested the Sports Minister to take up this matter strongly with the International Basketball Federation and the Basketball Federation of India, so that the dignity and pride of the Sikh community was not compromised.