The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has sought a report from West Bengal government within the next 15 days on the issue of the turban of a Sikh being allegedly pulled off by the state police during a political rally last week, sources in NCM said.
In a letter to West Bengal Chief secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay and DGP of the state police, the NCM said the commission had received a complaint from Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, a senior leader of Delhi BJP unit, on the alleged pulling off of the turban of a Sikh private security officer on October 8.
"The undersigned is directed to request you to send a report in this matter within 15 days so that the matter could be placed before the commission for its consideration," the letter signed by the joint secretary of NCM, D E Richards said. Senior officials of the state government declined to comment on the issue.
A controversy had erupted on Thursday after the West Bengal police allegedly assaulted a Sikh and pulled his turban during a BJP rally in Howrah. The police had said that the man, identified as Balwinder Singh was carrying a firearm during BJP's march to the state secretariat on October 8 and that his headgear "had fallen off automatically in the scuffle that ensued".
The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress government in the state of hurting the sentiments of the Sikhs. The TMC in its turn has had dubbed the allegations as "baseless" and said accused the BJP, which it has criticised on a number of occasions on a variety of issues, of "trying to communalise the issue".
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