Employees smirked at him when he asked for explanation.
By Raif Karerat
A Sikh man alleged that he was served a receipt that contained an ethnic slur directed at him while buying food at the Maryland House travel plaza along the I-95 highway in Aberdeen.
According to the Baltimore Sun, Parampal Singh Ghai, of Connecticut, had a traditional turban and beard when he ordered apple pie and other items at Nathan’s Famous on Oct. 25.
When Ghai got his receipt, he was consternated to find the cashier had written “Osama” on it, the Sikh Coalition released via social media — an apparent reference to the turban Sikh men wear as a religious rite.
When he confronted the cashier about why she was calling him “Osama,” she “smirked” while “another Nathan’s employee and a customer laughed at Parampal, deepening his humiliation,” according to a Facebook Post.
Ghai, who duly returned his food, is working with a private attorney in the matter, Sikh Coalition spokesperson Mark Reading-Smith said.
While the coalition is not representing him on a legal basis, it posted an advisory entitled “Stand Up Against Dehumanizing Behavior” and adamantly denounced the prejudiced behavior exhibited by the Nathan’s employee, calling it “unacceptable, outrageous, offensive, and discriminatory.”
The group has called for supporters to reach out to Nathan’s and ask the company to take “immediate remedial action,” issuing the following statement:
Unfortunately, Parampal’s humiliating experience falls in a long line of harassment and discrimination faced by our community,” the coalition wrote. “Since the 9/11 attacks, Sikh Americans, who wear religious turbans and maintain unshorn hair, have repeatedly endured bigotry and violence because of a mistaken and offensive affiliation with members of the Al Queda terrorist network.
Meanwhile, the franchisee, Areas USA, apologized to Ghai and stated that they have “taken appropriate measures” to ensure such a debacle does not occur again.