New Delhi: BJP today asked the government to
take up with the US the issue of former President APJ Abdul Kalam`s frisking at New York`s JFK airport to check for
explosives in September, saying this "cannot be tolerated".
"The way former President Kalam was treated was an insult
to him. Government must take it up with the US," BJP leader
Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters.
Kalam was twice subjected to frisking on September 29 at
New York`s JFK Airport by US security officials. Even after
Kalam had taken his seat, the US security personnel forced the
crew to open the door and took away the jacket and boots of
the former president to check for explosives since they had
forgotten to do so before his boarding an Air India flight.
Hussain said "such incidents are not happening for the
first time. There are many such incidents. This cannot be
tolerated."
This is not the first time that Kalam has been frisked by
US aviation officials.
Kalam was frisked by officials of US airliner Continental
Airlines in April, 2009 despite his name featuring in the
Bureau of Civil Aviation Security`s list of people exempt from
security checks in India.
On a possible bailout package for cash-strapped
Kingfisher airlines, Hussain said, "PM should have bailout
package for aam admi (coommon man). Government should come out
with a policy on sick industries. We are for bailout package
for the common man of the country."
However, the former Civil Aviation Minister did not
clarify BJP`s stand on FDI in the civil aviation sector.
"Earlier the government has not allowed FDI in civil aviation
sector. We will wait for the government to clarify its policy
on the issue and then only we will comment," he said when
asked to spell out his view on the FDI issue.
On Telengana issue, he said there should not be any delay
in the formation of a separate Telangana state.
Asked to comment on UP Chief Minister`s Mayawati`s Brahmin
conference in the state, he said, "When elections come,
she remembers Brahmins, Muslims and others. BJP does not
believe in caste politics."
PTI
