Members,

I think this issue is multifold.

For USA, it just shows how paranoid they are about security and other related issues. While despite privileges being there for the diplomats, if they had gone to do this, it shows how independent the agency is from the government and the other aspect is how ignorant they pretend to be of things.

From the Indian perspective, it is just not the question of popularising the saree or Indian culture. In India, how many times, let alone the people who are given privilege of being not frisked, people who get frisked complain and it becomes a big issue. This applied not only to VIPs but also CIPs. There is blatant violation many a time.

Secondly we bend backward when it is a white or a diplomat to waive all the normal measures. These countries will only learn when the diplomats in India also go through occassional checks.

In fact, a few checks on the US diplomats in India and it is good enough for US government to set their house in order. I am sure Chinese would have had done a tit for tat.

I think they singled out the diplomat on a random basis and not because of the saree. She being singled out despite the privilege is an issue. If we can do this to the US diplomats in India, issue will be resolved once for all.

Sorry to be saying this but the modern day diplomacy has become so crude as shown through Wikileaks that tit for tat is best. India is very accomodative and too timid to do these kind of things.

Regards,

Rajesh.

From: BNK 24x7 <mailbnk@gmail.com>
To: prpoint@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sat, December 11, 2010 10:12:36 PM
Subject: Re: [prpoint] Indian Ambassador checked for security at US airport - So what?

Security? THat too when a diplomat presents her ID? The lady Ambassador has been asked to stand aside because of her clothing - shameful!
IN any case, the Obama administration has already apologized twice.
I dont see any room for any debate on this issue.
Please don't confuse the security issue with dignity. What happened to Mrs Meera Kumar is definitely insulting.
The US security agencies react knee-jerk. You will all remember how they treated any one and every one with a beard, post 26/11. Even Sikhs were targeted with insulting behaviour. Obviously they couldnt differentiate.

Pl check this Express report:

Will American diplomacy stop targeting the saree?

Shishir Gupta Posted online: Sat Dec 11 2010, 16:06 hrs

New Delhi : Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday summoned US Deputy Chief of Mission Donald Liu to protest against pat-down search of Indian Ambassador to US Meera Shankar at an airport in Mississippi.

Lu was called in by Jawed Ashraf, Joint Secretary (Americas) in the MEA, to convey "strong concern" over screening of Shankar at Jackson airport on December 4.

The US official was told that the action was "contrary to the normal diplomatic practice and inconsistent with the excellent relations that India and the US enjoy.

Ashraf referred to External Affairs Minister S M Krishna's assertion that such incidents are "unacceptable" and said the US State Department and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should sensitise all their agents at all the airports to ensure proper privileges and courtesies are extended to Indian Ambassador and diplomats.

"Under the diplomatic protocol, ambassador of countries are entitled to expeditious process that does entail primary screening. In this context, the Indian Embassy had already informed the concerned department," Ashraf told Lu.

"The state (Mississippi State) protocol was also informed that day that the ambassador was travelling and she was escorted by the state protocol."

"The ambassador had presented her diplomatic papers but had to undergo the security checks because, as we have been informed, she was wearing a sari," Ashraf told the American diplomat.

Shankar underwent primary screening but despite that she was subjected to secondary screening as none of the security officials present at the airport had seen someone wearing a saree.

Ashraf pointed out that India respects the privileges of foreign diplomats in India and extends diplomatic courtesies to them.

"Such incidents naturally lead to calls for review of privileges and facilities given in India (to foreign diplomats)," he said.

While publicly US may say that correct procedure was followed, privately the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is very concerned that such an incident took place. After the incident, the Americans are now expected to issue fresh guidelines so that saree wearing people are not targeted. (With PTI inputs)

Regards

bnk

On 11 December 2010 04:08, V Jagannathan <v_jagannathan@yahoo.com> wrote:

Members might recall how former Indian President Abdul Kalam reacted when had to undergo security check at the US airports.

Now we see the rukus created by Indian Ambassador when she was frisked by the security personnel- the typical Indian -Do you know who I am- attitude.

Nothing prevents Indian security agencies to do the same thing for the Americans or any other nationalites.

But it will not happen here as Indian security personnel maintain different standards for Indians and for the white skinned. It should be remembered one of the master mind terrorist of the Mumbai hotel is an American.

By the way credit should be given to Americans for taking security seriously. No terrorist attack took place in that country after the WTC blast.

So what if officials are checked?

V Jagannathan

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