India reacts to American touch
Asia Times Online :: South Asia news, business and economy from India and Pakistan
Although India-United States relations have improved to a new plane, strict American security regimens, especially at airports, are a regular source of irritation to India, a country where important people like to make a point of differential and deferential treatment.
India's record is among the worst globally on myriad aspects - road and rail accidents, lack of medical facilities and corruption, among many other ills.
Yet, New Delhi has taken personal affront to Indian ambassador to the US, Meera Shankar, being singled out at an airport security line and physically patted down by an American security agent in Mississippi, despite being informed of her very important
diplomatic status. The incident happened on December 4.
Shankar was "unfortunately" searched for bombs as she wore the traditional Indian sari, a loosely draped long dress that probably needs to be cross checked as per American security protocol, unlike say tight fitting jeans.
In sharp multiple reactions, New Delhi has made it apparent that it sees the "incident" as an assault on the country's dignity. New Delhi said that searching Shankar was an "unacceptable" event, a point put across by no less than the foreign minister on national television.
India could have reacted differently. New Delhi no doubt appreciates concerns about terrorism and the security systems America has in place since the September 11, 2001 attack have prevented another major terror strike.
India has not managed such success after the Mumbai attacks of November 2008, with more terror strikes such as the recent blast in Varanasi.
Conscious of the new paradigm that has emerged in India-US relations, wherein American firms are seeking big business contracts in nuclear energy and defense, among other fields, Washington has quickly apologized about the Shankar episode.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "We obviously are concerned about it. We will be looking into it."
In a statement, the Indian Embassy, wanting to show that it has done its job, said, "The US State Department has reached out to the ambassador and has regretted what happened."
Such alacrity is not visible in the many other arms of the Indian government for issues of health, education and infrastructure. There are reports this week that Indian envoy to the United Nations Hardeep Puri's turban, another traditional clothing item worn by Sikhs, was also patted down at a Texas airport.
New Delhi is angry with this development too as a symbolic insult to the nation, though Indian citizens are regularly physically patted down at the entrances to shopping malls, movie theaters or a metro stations.
This is because the tantrum is a reflection of how the country's elite expect to be treated within the country. In India, rules are broken at whim at airports and roads to allow the rich and powerful to proceed first. Such bending of the rules being bent or broken cannot be extended abroad.
In India, anybody with a modicum of importance or access expects to be treated like a President Barack Obama or a Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in transit, and gets away with it.
It is referred to as the Very Very Important Person (VVIP) syndrome, as perhaps a colonial mindset, condemns the common citizen to unending waits, queues, security drills and many more inefficiencies.
Incidentally, this is not the first time that a VVIP being bodily frisked has caught attention. Last year, officials of America's Continental Airlines searched India's former president A P J Abdul Kalam, touching raw nerves.
Kalam, known for his down-to-earth demeanor, went through the security process without much ado. However, an uproar followed in parliament, with demands that the American carrier be banned.
In 2008, New Delhi took offense to Russian security officials insisting on searching then foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, who was on a visit to the country.
In Mukherjee's case, it was apparent that Moscow wanted to convey its unhappiness with New Delhi's newfound bonhomie with the US that has translated into more defense deals and a civil nuclear pact.
A feel-up was one way of conveying the irritation as Moscow does know a bit about Indian politicians' aversion to being body-searched.
In the past, New Delhi reacted angrily to then-federal defense minister George Fernandes being searched (he had to take off his shoes and socks) by security officials in America in a post-9/11 security check.
Fernandes, known for his anti-US tirades, was apparently "disrobed", according to former deputy secretary of state Strobe Talbott, not once but twice. Talbott, in a book chronicling the events, says Fernandes was angered by the incidents.
Clearly, India's VVIP's do not like to be touched. They prefer to be uncommon, except during election time when they pretend to be at one with everybody.
