Skip to main content

Screening at Airport: A ground reality

Views

By Rebati Mohan Sinha, Mumbai

The treatment meted out to Shah Rukh Khan detained beyond 66 minutes at the US airport is best known to the Airport Authority. These are the security drills that can’t be changed. The point is that every country has its own set of rules. Some are more stringent than the other.

Here I would like to say that a visitor always has a choice of his own to go or not to go to a particular place that makes him uncomfortable. The United States is known to be scrupulous while screening of the tourist is concerned, especially after 9/11 attack and we are quite aware of this punishing procedure.

All visitors are subjected to rigorous screening; nobody should feel victimized while going through such painful processes (ordeal). Last year, at Singapore Airport I faced several irrelevant questions for carrying a physiotherapy belt made up of cloth pouch having steal strips in it for leg exercise. However, at Mumbai Airport no security personnel had questioned me, even no one told me to remove my coat; but in Singapore I had to.

It is time now, our politicians (VVIPs), movie stars and cricketers must wake up to this ground realities. The outside world is neither interested nor impressed by someone’s status. One may be a renowned businessman or a Bollywood Badshah, the officer on duty would not mind telling him to step aside, he is least concerned with his fame or bank balance at back home. He is indifferent about fans waving their hands and asking their autographs. His job is to make sure that the tourist comes out clean.

Is that so tough to accept? Of course, it is irritating.

This incident should inspire our Airport Authorities to tighten up immigration process. I don’t appreciate the suggestion of “tit for tat” given by a Central Cabinet Minister. What happened to Shah Rukh Khan is too bad; at the same time, people might think that this may be a sort of publicity stunt.

Today is Ninthoapa (Monday)

What next?
  • Get Email Alerts

  • Get SMS Alerts
  • Comments

    Popular posts from this blog

    Sri Sri Bhubaneshwar Sadhu Thakur

    By Ranita Sinha, Kolkata Sri Sri Bhubaneshwar Thakur, the great saint of the Bishnupriya Manipuri Community was born on 26th October, 1871, in a remote village of Cachar district called Baropua in the state of Assam. He was born to a Xatriya Manipuri family. His father Sri Sanatan Pandit was a Sanskrit teacher and mother Srimati Malati Devi, a house wife. Sadhu Baba from his childhood was indifferent to all worldly happenings. He was engrossed in chanting the name of Lord Krishna. Along with other students of his age, Sadhu Baba started taking lessons of grammar and other spiritual literature from his father. At a very young age he lost his mother but he was brought up with utmost love and care by his step mother. At the age of eighteen, Sadhu baba lost his father, so, to continue his spiritual education under the guidance of Rajpandit Mineshwas Swarbabhwam Bhattacherjee, he went to Tripura. But within one year he made up his mind to visit all the holy places and as such he took permis

    Assam Search Engine: Bisarok

    Exclusive search engine on Assam Manash Pratim Gohain, TNN Jun 16, 2012, 01.46PM IST NEW DELHI: Assam got its own search engine ' Bisarok '. The search engine has been launched to get results exclusively on queries and information related to Assam. 'Bisarok', means 'to search' in Assamese language, has been launched and has been linked to various websites of the Government of Assam and departments, educational institutions and media. The search engine is likely to give a new online experience related to searches on Assam. Built on Google custom search engine, the search engine would be collating and building a database of web properties exclusively of the state in the North East region. 'Bisarok' has been developed by RK Rishikesh Sinha, who had earlier created a similar custom search engine ('Bisarei') on Bishnupriya Manipuri. According to Sinha, apart from Google there was no link to get results particularly on Assam. Any web entity related

    A short history of the Bishnupriya Manipuri and their religio-cultural consciousness

    Undoubtedly, the accurate period of the emergence or the development of religious consciousness of the Bishnupriya Manipuri is difficult to ascertain, but it is an old one that is undoubted, writes Rini Sinha , Guwahati . Religious beliefs are found virtually in every human society. Religious beliefs usually relates to the existence and worship of a deity or deities and divine involvement in the universe and human life. Religious knowledge according to religious practitioners may be gained from religious leaders, sacred texts or personal revelation. The development of religion has taken many forms in various cultural communities. The accurate period of emergence or development of religious consciousness of the Bishnupriya Manipuries is difficult to ascertain, but it is an old one that is undoubted. However, on the basis of the views of different scholars, pre-historic and historical remain whatsoever is available and from the logic of personal observations, we may put forward some view