A Sikh-American doctor has filed a lawsuit against a medical organization in the United States, alleging he was denied a neurology job for his religious appearance.

Jaswinder Pal Singh,who migrated to the US from India in 2008, is a licensed and board certified physician practising in the area of neurology. The Sikh Coalition, a Sikh advocacy group, filed the lawsuit on behalf of Singh in the US District Court for the Middle district of Tennessee.

According to the lawsuit, Singh, an observant Sikh physician who keeps a religiously mandated turban and beard, was denied a neurology job after the employer and recruiter inquired into his religious appearance.

However, the recruiter praised Singh's credentials in phone interviews, Singh was allegedly abruptly denied further interviews after he submitted photographs of himself, along with additional information on Sikhs and Sikhism. The job then remained vacant, it said.

Singh said in a statement released by the coalition, that, "It was very clear to me that I was denied employment because of my ethnic background and religious appearance."

"No Sikh in any job or profession should ever be denied employment because of their religion. By speaking out and taking action, I know that we will continue to hold employers directly accountable," said Singh.

"Defendants failed and refused to hire (Singh) for the available neurologist position at Premier Medical Group because of his race (South Asian/Punjabi), colour, religion (Sikh) and/or national origin (Indian)," the lawsuit alleges.

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Nandini