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Ever since the news emanated from US that Bollywood’s icon Shah Rukh Khan was detained at Newark’s airport for questioning on India’s independence day, the both the print and electronic media in India are debating the correctness of the modus applied by US Customs Department on SRK.
The ruling Congress was first to jump into fray, as Union Minister Ambika Soni advocated that the US celebrities to should be reciprocated in the identical manner, so that it will send an appropriate signal to US authorities.
As if this was not enough, India’s MoS for External Affairs ministers Shashi Tharoor, who is an ace diplomat also pooh poohed the attitude of US authorities while dealing with SRK and lamented it in a very severe language.
There were small demonstrations in Delhi too, where the SRK’s fans displayed their idol’s huge posters and condemned the American gesture. On his part, SRK though he initially tried to down play the entire controversy, seems to have developed a second thought, given the interview which he gave to Rajdeep Sardesai’s CNN IBN yesterday night, in which he is reported to have said that US should remember that it’s not the only country in the world to travel but there are more than hundred countries in the world (sic. to travel). He is also believed to have said that he will be having second thought for traveling to US henceforth.
It is bit intriguing that the BJP or other opposition parties have yet to react over this episode. But, the manner in which Congress I spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan was defending Ambika Soni on CNN IBN, it appears that Congress intends to give a sort of ‘religious tint’ if not communal one, to this whole issue, as India’s three premier states (Maharashtra, West Bengal and Punjab) would be going for state assembly elections in the next couple of months.
One was pleasantly surprised to see Times of India in its Monday 17th August, 2009 edition, carrying an article written by Anand Soondas, wherein the writer has indirectly tried to justify the measures taken by US authorities at their airports, thereby eliminating the slightest possible error in allowing any wrong person to enter on their land, who could pose a potential security threat. He even suggested that India should take a cue from such incidences and stop fawning and better start upgrading her security structure.
Lord Meghnad Desai, while participating in CNN IBN programme rightly said that unwarranted controversy was being aired, for an Indian actor getting detained for more than hour, when US is concerned for the lives of thousands of its citizens. Lord Desai even cited an instance of US celebrity Bob Dylan having been ill treated by the local US police, who could not be identified by them. He even went to suggest that it’s all the publicity stunt of SRK, was his forthcoming movie My name is Khan is due to hit the screen very shortly. Well there is definitely substance in it.
One must understand that when it comes to security, the countries abroad like US, UK, Canada, Australia, etc. do not hesitate to adopt stringent measures, while letting any foreigner in, if their custom and immigration official has a slightest doubt about the intention of the person to visit, his length of stay, his / her itinerary in that country, how he would be spending the money on their soil, the persons to whom he / she would be meeting on their soil, etc.
When the likes of Al Gore, Ted Kennedy, etc. are not spared at US airports, how do we expect a US Customs & Immigration official to know the CV of SRK and that he should have been let him in with a fanfare. ? This whole controversy has manifested how Chalta Hai attitude in our country has ruined our security apparatus and has made our borders more porous than ever before.
It is openly said that nearly 250 Bangladeshi citizens are illegally entering India per week, thanks to the casual and corrupt attitude of our BSF personnel, who let them in exchange of couple of hundred rupees. Can there be any country in the world like India, which has more than 10 million (Bangladeshi foreign) nationals staying without proper entry permits, visa, etc.?
It is openly said that the next Chief Minister of Assam would not an Indian one, as he could be either Bangladeshi or Nepali. As it is we have been hearing that an MP from Assam is having Nepal origins. When the Congress party has temerity of passing legislation IMDA in early eighties whereby the onus was put on the complainant to prove that the person accused of being foreign national is indeed a foreign national, and not on the accused to prove that he is having local permits, ration card, etc. A strange law that was finally struck down by India’s Apex Court.
This speaks about the volumes of laissez – faire culture developed by our people, which ultimately made the country to be ruled by Moguls for three centuries and then Britons for one hundred and fifty years. Hence, in sum and substance, without taking any lessons over SRK episode, there is no doubt in my mind that our country is over reacting to it.
Now with Amar Singh of Samajwadi Party entering into fray, the whole controversy has now acquired political overtones. Singh, like Lord Desai too has felt that SRK has embarked on 'Khan' issue, just on the eve of release of his film My name is Khan and has advised him to see for himself, how Amitabh Bachchan reacts when French immigration officials treat him, even as Bachchan is conferred with the highest honour by the French government in the recent past.
It may be recalled that SRK had been almost awarded Congress I ticket of fifteenth Parliamentary polls which ended in May, 2009 and his proximity with Congress is no longer secret.
Now with Amar Singh also giving him an advice of word or two, the whole matter has now been politicized. Needless to say that SRK would be its beneficiary as he is known to thrive on the controversy and his forthcoming film has already become hit, even before its release. !!
