Knife fuss racism says Sikh

A Hastings Sikh priest asked to hand over his religious dagger by a pilot after he boarded a plane to Napier said the issue only served to highlight the racism his community faced in the post-September 11 world.
Jarnail Singh and a group of Sikh priests visiting from India got through security wearing their kirpans under their shirts at Auckland's domestic terminal without any problems and boarded their flight to Napier on Sunday afternoon.
Mr Singh said a woman sitting behind him spotted his kirpan sticking out and began shaking.
"She said I had a knife and got panicked," Mr Singh said.
"I asked her 'please calm down, we are not what you think'." The woman's husband notified cabin crew and the pilot asked the men to hand over their kirpans until they landed in Napier. They were given them back once all other passengers had got off the plane in Napier.
"If we are travelling international we put them in luggage but we have never had a problem before."
Mr Singh has been living in New Zealand for 19 years and working for five years as the vineyard manager at Park Estate Winery.
He has been travelling with the priests who are in New Zealand for nine months and visiting the temples for ceremonies which include prayer and song.
26/01/07 Kate Newton/Hawke's Bay Today, New Zealand

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