Golden Temple head granthi Giani Raghbir Singh harassed by Air India staff at Delhi airport

Giani Raghbir Singh, the head granthi of Golden Temple, faced harassment by Air India ground staff at the New Delhi airport when he was scheduled to board a flight to the US. Despite his complaints, the airline’s staff failed to resolve the issue, and he, along with two other passengers accompanying him, missed their flight.

Giani Raghbir Singh, a former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, was supposed to travel from New Delhi to San Francisco on Air India flight AI 183 to participate in a “Gurmat” programme in Sacramento, USA, accompanied by his son and another member. When he boarded the plane, he was dismayed by the poor condition of the Business class.

“The condition of the Business class seats was extremely poor, and the cleanliness was substandard,” Giani Raghbir Singh. “I, along with some other passengers, raised objections about this. However, the Air India staff members misbehaved with us, although the flight captain was decent.”

Singh and some other passengers protested by exiting the plane and sitting outside near the terminal immigration checkpoint. “We sat without food and water for over three hours, and no Air India official reached out to us. This treatment was utterly disgraceful,” he said.

Strongly condemning the poor services provided by Air India under the guise of Business class and the misbehaviour of their staff, Giani Raghbir Singh stated that he would lodge a complaint with the concerned authorities. “We were harassed at the airport for over three hours, which was highly condemnable. Our passports were with the immigration officers, and we struggled to get our passports and luggage back,” he added.

The Akal Takht and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have also condemned the incident. Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj, the officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht, has demanded that the Union Civil Aviation Minister intervene and take appropriate action against the concerned staff of Air India. “The position of head granthi of Golden Temple is highly respectable. Central agencies and airport authorities must show special regard towards such dignitaries,” he said.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami stated that the Sikh mission Delhi has been directed to take up the matter with the concerned authorities.