Calling off UK trip matter of principle'

New Delhi: With Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee forced to cancel his trip to London - after being told that he would not be exempted from fr
isking - questions are being raised on why the Indian government is unable to command courtesies similar to what it extends to diplomats and senior ministers from other countries.
The Speaker was expected to lead a delegation of parliamentarians to London for a meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. He was supposed to leave on October 4 but was informed on October 3 that he would not be exempted from frisking.
Referring to his trip, Chatterjee said that it was cancelled as a "matter of principle". He added, "I cancelled the trip because it involves the honour of the constitutional office I hold. I can't understand why they did this, that too at the last minute." Incidentally, the Lok Sabha Speaker is in British protocol's list of people exempt from body frisking.
Surprisingly, Chatterjee has visited London several times during his four-year tenure and has never been frisked. Sources said that Chatterjee was very annoyed that the Indian government was not able to command the same courtesies for senior Cabinet ministers and parliamentarians even as the same countries accepted red-carpet treatment from India.
The Indian High Commission in London had written to the protocol department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on September 25 informing it of the Speaker's arrival and seven-day stay in London. The letter also reminded the protocol of exemption from frisking. In its reply, the department wrote that search procedures were a necessary part to ensure the security of all passengers.
This is the second time Chatterjee has cancelled a foreign trip for the same reason. In April 2005, he called off a trip to Sydney after the government refused to exempt him from frisking.
09/10/08 Times of India

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Categories: Airports Oct 2008, Foreign Oct 2008