Amandeep Sidhu Speaks with Vice About the Sikh Identity, Faith, and Taking the Marine Corps to Court

Amandeep Sidhu—Winston & Strawn partner and pro bono co-counsel for the Sikh Coalition—was recently quoted in a Vice article titled “Sikh Americans In the U.S. Military Are Still Fighting to Keep Their Turbans and Beards.”

The article tells the story of two Sikh Americans and their respective efforts to remain loyal to both their faith and their responsibilities in the U.S. military: Major Simratpal Singh, who won a landmark ruling in 2016 against the Army which allowed him to serve with his articles of faith intact and paved the way for a sweeping policy change, and Winston client, First Lieutenant Sukhbir Singh Toor, who seeks to secure that same rights as a Marine.

Amandeep argues that the “compartmentalization” of the Sikh faith is inconsistent with the legal standards that apply to the Marine Corps. “We can’t just put our Sikh identity on and take it off at their convenience. That’s not how it works,” he said. Amandeep goes on to state that “We made very clear to the Marine Corps about what we want…If we’re not able to resolve those remaining concerns, we will have no choice but to go to the federal court and ask a judge to rule.”

Click here to read the full Vice article.

Click here to learn more about The Sikh Coalition.