The Human Rights Commission is looking into the case of a Sikh man kicked out of an Auckland cosmopolitan club because he was wearing a turban.
The commission has set a mediation date for next month after the incident last month, where Karnail Singh, an Age Concern volunteer, attended a function at the Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club.
He was being recognised for his service to the community since he arrived in New Zealand six years ago but Mr Singh's turban, one of the Sikh religion's principle articles of faith, was deemed to breach club rules that forbid the wearing of headwear in the bar.
He was asked to remove it before he would be allowed to enter.
Being asked to take it off was like being asked to strip naked, he told the Manukau Courier last week. The commission said it isn't the first time it has received a complaint against the club for banning guests because of their religious headwear, the New Zealand Herald reported.
It was involved in mediation with the club this year when it refused to let a Muslim international student enter its dining area because she was wearing a hijab, or religious headscarf.
The club agreed to review its rule on headwear and dress code, a commission spokesman said.
Club manager Patricia Rangi is not commenting, saying the matter is before the commission.
But she said no changes were made to the headwear policy after the first mediation, although the club had apologised to Mr Singh for any embarrassment it might have caused.
However, in an email to Age Concern, Ms Rangi wrote: "He could not wear his turban as it contravened our club dress rules. We have previously contacted the Human Rights [Commission], the Ethnic Society and all have advised that as a private club, we may enforce our rules. The Ethnic Society also confirmed that turbans are not compulsory within the Sikh community ... If you wish to visit our club, you need to abide by our rules."
The secretary of the Sikh Council of New Zealand, Verpal Singh, said the incident was unfortunate and he was "greatly disappointed" with the club's headwear policy.
"The club has made its unfortunate decision on the basis of wrong information," Mr Singh said.
The incident was even more surprising since practising Sikhs have been visiting the club for at least the last 30 years without any issue being made of the turban, he said.
"A venerable institution like the RSA has taken a most enlightened approach in interpreting their rule around head-dress by accepting that the Sikh turban does not fall within the ambit of this rule."
The word "cosmopolitan" and the history of how cosmopolitan clubs started conveyed something completely different, he said.
National list MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, also a Sikh, said it was "so ridiculous that this is happening in this day and age in New Zealand".
Sikhs had been part of the New Zealand society for 120 years and even the police recognised the turban as part of their official uniform.
"I am allowed to wear the turban in Parliament. Why should a cossie club ban it from its premises?"
