Kalam frisked at Delhi airport: every VVIP is outraged — except Kalam

The airline stood by its decision saying there were no exceptions to its security rule and it believed that “Dr Kalam was not offended.”

While Kalam — back from Dhaka today — didn’t comment,his personal secretary H Sheridon was surprised at the storm of protest.

“He was not at all upset,he doesn’t object to security procedures,he goes through all checks wherever he goes. That’s why no protest was lodged with the airline,” Sheridon said. This despite the fact that this was the first time Kalam was frisked at an Indian airport.

Having travelled across the world,more frequently after demitting office,Kalam has undergone security drills at many major airports,Sheridon said. On April 21,Kalam was to board Continental Airlines Flight No CO-083 from IGI Airport to Newark. “The normal practice is that he goes to the ceremonial lounge of the airport minutes before the flight. There,the airport,immigration and airline officials come to the lounge to complete the formalities before escorting him to the plane,” Sheridon said.

“That day,he was frisked at the entrance to the aerobridge. He was asked to remove his shoes and was checked with a metal detector. Dr Kalam did not say anything and cooperated fully,doing all he was asked to,” Sheridon said. The airport and the airline had been informed in advance that Kalam was to travel on that flight,he said. Asked whether the former President objected,Sheridon said,“Not at all. He’s above all this.”

“Dr Kalam has never objected to a security check and goes through all the checks wherever he goes,” Sheridon said.

In fact,on his arrival in the US on the April lecture tour,Kalam,his aides said,“complied with the entire drill,even taking off his coat and shoes when asked to.” Kalam may not see this as an insult to his dignity but he’s in a minority.

Calling it an outrageous “humiliation on Indian soil by a foreign airline”,Congress MP Jayanthi Natarajan said Continental Airlines services should be suspended until airline officials are “taken to task and punished” to “uphold” the honour of the country.

The BJP,too,joined in. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said this had shamed the nation.

“…Protocol involves courtesies; and protocol and courtesy are always reciprocal. Will the Government look into this larger issue? Our dignitaries,world over,are being frisked in this manner and we send vehicles to the tarmac to receive foreign dignitaries of certain countries…” Jaitley said.

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury asked the Government to ascertain whether the incident had anything to do with his name,“which is Abdul Kalam”.

“If that is the case,then the matter is more serious; the matter is much more serious than a mere slip of the operations that the airline may have conducted,” Yechury said.

In his reply,Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said that frisking the former President was “absolutely unpardonable” and was beyond the scope of the country’s law.

“The frisking or the act per se is absolutely wrong because we have our own guidelines; we have our own circulars,which have already been issued. The former Presidents and many other distinguished people in our country have got security exemption. So there was no reason,” Patel said.

“In fact,I would also like to say that not only a preliminary inquiry has been ordered but we also have a preliminary report on the basis of which the Continental Airlines has already been issued a show-cause notice to explain as to why action against them under Section 11A of the Aircraft Act,1934 for wilful violation of the BCAS circular should not be taken,” he added.

Admitting that airlines were not barred from having pre-embarkation security of their own,Patel said that the security exercise should not be extended to people who are exempt from the BCAS circular.

Responding to the criticism,the airline said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requirements impose a final security check in the aerobridge just before boarding the aircraft. “The procedure is followed by all carriers flying to the US from most of the countries in the world and there is no exemption to this rule”,the airline said in a statement.

“Security and customer service are key components for us at Continental Airlines. We believe that Dr Kalam was not offended and we would like to thank him again for flying with us”,the statement said adding it was honoured and proud to have had such a distinguished customer and hoped he has been “pleased by our service”.