|
New Delhi, Aug 25: In the backdrop of growing undercurrents of racial discrimination, India on Friday lodged strong protests with the Dutch government over the shocking manner in which 12 Indian passengers were dramatically detained at the Schiphol airport.
The incident, which has prompted domestic outrage with political parties especially the BJP demanding an apology from the Dutch government, forced the Manmohan Singh government to turn pro-active by summoning the Dutch ambassador and tell him bluntly that the treatment meted to the 12 passengers was “not in conformity with the friendly relations between India and Netherlands.”
“We have lodged our protest over the way the incident was handled and the treatment given to them,” MEA spokesperson Navtej Sarna said after the Dutch Ambassador Eric Niehe here was summoned by Secretary West UC Tripathy in the MEA and conveyed India’s protest. Anand sharma, minister of state (MEA) said: “We have taken a strong notice of this development. It is not only unfortunate it should have never happened.” The minister told the newspersons that the Dutch government has expressed regret over the incident.
BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi however maintained that “racial profiling” by the Dutch authorities was unacceptable.
“Islamic caps and beards do not symbolise terror. The detentions of these men shows that they have been victims of the West’s racial profiling,” Naqvi said.
The passengers travelling on a Northwest Airline flight from Minneapolis to Mumbai via Amsterdam on Wednesday, were taken into custody after a dramatic “mid-air intervention” and escorted by F-16 fighters. All the 12 passengers were released last night after Dutch prosecutors did not find any evidence against them.
New Delhi has asked for complete details about the incident from the Dutch government. The Dutch ambassador here has promised to get the details from the Hague and revert. Sarna said the “manner of treatment” of the Indians was “objectionable”. Adding, that he himself belongs to a multi-ethnic country and there was no such intention behind the detentions.
A lot of effort on the part of the government and the Indian mission in Holland to get access to the detained Indians, was put in, he pointed out. He, however, evaded responding to a question if India would lodge a similar protest with Northwest airlines and the US government as the plane belonged to that country and American marshals had initially detained the 12 Indians. Without elaborating much, Sarna said he hoped the incident would “not be...
More from Politics
| Single Page Format | 1 - 2 - Next |
Discuss this story on expressindia forums
|
|
 |
 |
 |
About Us | Contact Us | Advertisers | Site Map | Make us your homepage | Work for Us | RSS | Subscribe | Electronic Edition | Privacy Policy© 2009: The Indian Express Limited. All rights reserved throughout the world
