Yesterday, August 15, 2009, was India’s 63rd Independence Day. Whole nation was indulged in the 'celebrations' on a much needed holiday, after a long week of work. Having no 'Breaking News’, the media was busy telecasting the Independence Day celebrations, along with the Swine flu pandemic updates.
After a long wait, the media got the much awaited 'Breaking News'. SRK detained by the US authorities at the Newark Airport. They created a hype of the news saying, 'SRK detained at the Newark airport, on the INDIAN INDEPENDANCE DAY'. They just wanted to project that this is a great humiliation to our country. Then they came up saying King Khan was detained jus because of his religion.
First of all I don’t understand, why does the Indian media make an issue out of a small (not even a) news? We need to understand, SRK is a star for us, Indians. For US, he is just another Indian citizen traveling to their country and they have every right to question every foreigner, visiting their country.
For them the national security is a topmost priority unlike us, who treat every single person coming to India, as a God. We, and our media, need to understand and accept that any Indian citizen can be frisked on the foreign soil. It should be OK with us, unless he is humiliated.
Instead of making an issue out of this, we should learn from them. If a 'VVIP' from the US steps on the Indian soil, we consider ourselves lucky to have the presence of the person in our country. Some days back, Mrs. Hilary Clinton was in India, and our media was so busy in running after the Secretary of State where ever she went. One of the top news papers in the country even published the menu of the dinner she had. Guys, please leave the delegates alone. It’s considered you have to publish the official news, but none of the Indians is interested in what did the delegate eats for Dinner or Lunch, or what brand of mineral water did he consume here. Has anyone seen news about Dr. Manmohan Singh’s visit to US, or any other country for that matter, being telecasted for more than 2 minutes, by the BBC or any other non-Indian new channel? Indian Media needs to grow up. There are lot many issues in India that need to be discussed.
Another point is, SRK being frisked just because of his religion. He is not the only one to be frisked. There are thousand of our fellow Muslim citizens who are frisked in the Western countries, is anyone bothered about that. I agree that it is unjust and wrong. But as I said earlier, it’s the US. They take the killing of their citizens seriously, unlike our country.
Apart from SRK, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was frisked by Continental Airlines staff at Delhi Airport , Former external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee frisked before his aircraft took off from Moscow , then defence minister George Fernandes ‘strip-searched’ in Washington. Frisking our former President, to me, is bigger humiliation as compared to SRK.
But rather than making an issue and blaming US for this, we should give our national security the top most priority when US delegates visit India. We should be strong enough to take a stance saying 'OK, you are a VVIP in you country, but when you step on our soil; you are no more than a foreign visitor to us.’ Our security persons should make sure they frisk each and every foreigner visiting our country, be it a Cricketer, or a politician or a normal citizen. Stop and frisk Mr. Bill Clinton next time he lands on the Indian soil. We should not hesitate to do so. He is an ex-president for them, not for us and he cant just walk in to our country as if he owns it. If our ex-president can be treated like this, so can be theirs. Even we have all the right to safeguard our nation and we should not think 'Why should we do this?' and 'How can we do this?'
All I feel is our media should stop all these foolish things and be responsible. And we should either treat the foreigners jus like they treat us and show them we are not helpless either and National security is a top priority even for us or else bear with the treatment. I think our 63rd Independence year will be a best time to prioritize our National Security ahead of everything else. What say?? ;) .
Good Post!
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