That the former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam was treated as a commoner and frisked by the staff of the American airliner Continental Airlines at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is highly reprehensible. The demand by the CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury to investigate whether the shabby treatment was meted out because of the name ‘Abdul Kalam’ (Muslim identity) cannot be pooh-poohed as there are umpteen instances of such humiliations especially by the U.S. and European Union based airliners during the post 9/11 period. Far from being apologetic, the Continental Airlines has defended it as a regular security check as per the policy of the company. Can the same Airlines resort to such a thing to any of the former Presidents of America? While Dr. Kalam’s humility in cooperating with Airlines staff is laudable, the Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel who promised to take action against the guilty in this unfortunate episode should walk the talk.
Syed Sultan Mohiddin
Kadapa, A.P.