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| October 19, 2010 | Obama wearing a cap for Golden Temple visit is OK: SGPC | | Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the premier body of the Sikhs, has said that it would have no
objection to US President Barack Obama wearing a cap during his proposed visit to the Golden Temple here next month. "We are only concerned with that one should
cover his or her head as per the Sikh code of conduct," said Avtar Singh Makkar,
President of the SGPC. He confirmed that he was in contact with the American Sikh
community leadership on the issue and added that the SGPC would honour Obama at the shrine with some special gifts should he decide to undertake a visit to Amritsar.
Earlier reports quoted sources as saying that Obama's Amritsar visit could be
called off due to the dilemma over headscarf that the President would have to
wear if he visited the Golden Temple. As per the Sikh code of conduct, everyone
has to cover his or her head with cloth and remove their shoes before entering
the premises. It may be recalled that British monarch Queen Elizabeth II and her
husband Prince Phillip had visited the temple in October 1997, and at that time,
the Queen wore socks and covered her head with a hat. Rajinder Singh Mehta, a
SGPC executive committee member, said: "Someone intends to sabotage the much
awaited visit of the President Obama to the holiest shrines -- the Golden Temple."
Kiranjot Kaur, another SGPC member, said non-Sikhs can cover their heads either
with baseball cap of hat, but it is advisable for Sikhs not to wear caps while
visiting Sikh shrines. U.S. Ambassador Timothy J. Roemer said: "Let's be clear,
when the President of the United States travels anywhere, whether India or Japan
or US, there are lots of options for president to go visit. Certain things and
the advance teams will go to place and take a look at different possibilities,
and then it is narrowed down to just a few from there." "The final schedule is
not set for president of the United States. It will be we hope fairly soon, then
all of India will be able to know where the president is going. The president
will love to visit as I have 18 to 20 different places in India, to see the great
hospitality, feel the work, to see the warmth of people to people connections,
to see religious diversity, to see the vibrant culture here. He is going to get
a great sense of it , whether he goes to one two or three places. It is going
to be a very sucessful visit," Roemer added. Obama was expected to visit Golden
Temple on November 7, a day after he arrives in Mumbai.
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