Only Sikh traffic warden in Lahore police resigns over turban abuse

Lahore, Apr 23 : Gulab Singh, the only Sikh warden in traffic police in Lahore, reportedly resigned last weekend after one his colleagues misbehaved with him and even tossed up his turban. After submitting his resignation, he said that it was a routine affair that his colleagues misbehaved with him and made fun of him being a Sikh.

He said that he was being discriminated against for not being a Muslim due to which his colleagues made fun of his religion. Singh often took his complaints to his seniors, but they did not take the matter seriously, because of which he was forced to resign.

Singh claimed that the trouble began four days prior to his resignation, when he was deputed, along with wardens Asif and Faisal, to manage traffic. He said that Faisal had suddenly left his post at about 3pm. Later, a senior asked about him and also broadcasted a wireless message, inquiring about Faisal's whereabouts. At about 7 pm, Faisal returned and misbehaved with Singh for having informed the senior about his absence, the Daily Times quoted him as saying.

According to him, Faisal left yet again at 7:30 pm and bribed the officials at wireless control with dinner so that they would not inform the high-ups about his absence. Singh said that this was routine practice in the Traffic Department. Singh also said that the next day when he reached his post, one of the wardens, Mubasher, misbehaved with him and forcibly took off his 'turban'.

Singh complained to Inspector Shahid Nadeem, who, according to Singh, did not bother. Singh also alleged that the traffic wardens who were present there, made fun of him. This was the point where Singh tendered his resignation immediately and he said that no one called him from the department in order to make an enquiry.

On the other hand, Singh's colleagues maintained that he had been threatening to resign ever since he was recruited. They also claimed that now when Singh acknowledged that all his colleagues, including his seniors, had begun to understand him and had stopped pressurising him, he resigned.

ANI