Kalam frisking: India threatens retaliatory action
New Delhi: The frisking of former president APJ Abdul Kalam for explosives at New York's JFK Airport has led to a diplomatic row between the US and India.
An outraged Indian government on Sunday said it would subject US dignitaries to such action unless such "unacceptable" practices were stopped.
Hours after the matter was widely reported in the media here, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna spoke to Indian Ambassador to US Nirupama Rao and directed her to take up the matter in writing at the "highest level" with Washington.
According to officials, Krishna has also sought a detailed report from its mission into the incident which they said was unacceptable. They further said that if this continues, there is a possibility of reciprocating as per diplomatic norms.
Notwithstanding previous protests, US officials had in September this year frisked Dr Kalam at the JFK Airport.
During the incident, which happened on September 29, US security men took Dr Kalam’s coat and shoes away while he was seated inside an Air India plane before departure.
According to reports, at around 2 pm local time frantic US security men entered the Air India aircraft after forcing the crew to open the door and insisted on frisking Dr Kalam. He had already been frisked once before entering the aircraft like any other passenger.
After Air India officials protested, US security men relented but still took away Dr Kalam’s coat and shoes which were returned after a swab analysis.
A swab analysis is conducted to detect any trace of explosives.
The government was apprised of the incident by both Air India and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).
This was not the first time that Dr Kalam was frisked by US authorities. In April 2009, Dr Kalam was frisked at the Delhi airport by officials of the US-based Continental Airlines, despite his name featuring in the BCAS' list of people exempt from security checks in India. That incident had led to an uproar in Parliament.