Chennai: Tamil Nadu unit of CPI-M on Wednesday
condemned the Sept 29 frisking of former President APJ Abdul
Kalam by security officials at New York's JFK Airport.
The party's state committee in a resolution passed at its
meeting said the US authorities had violated well established
principles that former Presidents were exempted from frisking.
"This is not the first time that Kalam was subjected to
humiliation. He faced the same humiliation in 2008 also', the
resolution said.
80-year-old Kalam was twice frisked at the JFK Airport by
security officials who even took off his jacket and shoes to
check for explosives before he was to board an Air India
flight on September 29.
It said several well known figures including popular
artists Sharu khan and Kamal Hasan and former defence minister
George Fernandes were subjected to such humilitions.
It urged the Tamil Nadu government to eradicate
untouchability which the party said was practised in several
parts of the state.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 21:37