TNN
Washington/New Delhi:All the time, money, and effort that he expended in declaring “My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist” evidently had little impact on US airport officials. The Indian government on Friday intervened strongly on behalf of Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan after he was stopped for extended questioning by US airport authorities who, by the
star’s own account, “kick the star out of stardom”.
The second episode involving Shah Rukh Khan versus US airport officials — the previous one was in 2009 — went something like this: Khan arrived at White Plains Airport on a small private plane along with industrialist spouse Nita Ambani and some others en route to Yale University, where the Bollywood megastar was to receive a Chubb fellowship and deliver a speech.
While Ambani and others were cleared swiftly, Khan was reportedly stopped for extended questioning about his programme. By Khan’s own account, related in interactions with students when he finally reached Yale some three hours behind schedule, he was held for 90 minutes. US officials kick the star out of stardom, says SRK
Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan appeared to take the US airport questioning episode in his stride and even joked about it. The actor said, “Yes it (being detained at a US airport) always happens, it’s nice. Whenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself, I always make a trip to America. The immigration guys kicked the star out of stardom.” Continuing in a similar vein, Khan said, “They (immigration officials) always ask me how tall I am and I always lie and say 5 feet 10 inches. Next time, I am going to get more adventurous. (If they ask me) what colour are you, I am going to say white,” he said.
But his supporters and aides put a much more serious spin on it, saying the star was furious and it required the intervention of authorities of Yale University, where the star was to receive a Chubb fellowship, to expedite his release, although at no point was he considered under detention.
Khan also spoke about some off-the-cuff answers he gave authorities, underplaying the gravity of the episode which India’s ministry of external affairs considered serious enough to intervene in.
External affairs minister S M Krishna is said to have asked ambassador Nirupama Rao to take up the matter with the highest US authorities.
“This has become a habit of detention and then apology, this cannot continue. We need an assurance that this won't happen again,” Krishna said after US customs and border protection officials expressed 'profound apologies for detaining Khan. MEA sources were quoted as saying, “Repeated problem for same person followed by clearance on account of consulate intervention and mechanical apology is not adequate.”
In a media statement, the US embassy in Delhi apologized for the “inconvenience” caused to Khan, and embassy spokesperson Peter Vrooman said, “You can use the Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP) to resolve issues such as misidentification. DHS TRIP is a single point of contact for individuals who have inquiries or seek resolution regarding difficulties they experienced during their travel screening at transportation hubs.”
Vrooman said, “Please allow me on behalf of our diplomatic mission in India to apologize if Mr Shah Rukh Khan experienced an inconvenience or delay yesterdayin White Plains, New York on his way to Yale University,” he said. According to sources, US deputy chief of mission Donald Lu was summoned by joint secretary (Americas) Javed Ashraf and conveyed India’s “concern” over the issue.
Some other Bollywood ‘Khans’ also narrated their own incidents of “harassment”.
Director Kabir Khan, who has been detained three times so far, said, “That Shah Rukh’s name popped up in their system yet again is ridiculous. The last time this happened, the correction was made and his credentials established. It only shows that their security apparatus is faulty.”
CYBERSPACE BUZZ
• @Roflindian: US officials - “Tell us about Ra.One.” SRK: “Hhhhheeyyyy! It bombed.” “BOMB??!!”
• @vsingh92: India prays that this detaining incident doesnt lead to a sequel of My Name is Khan
• @DineshGhodke: Dear US of A, Stop detaining Shah Rukh Khan like this. He takes it out on the rest of the world with stuff like, My Name is Khan
star’s own account, “kick the star out of stardom”.
The second episode involving Shah Rukh Khan versus US airport officials — the previous one was in 2009 — went something like this: Khan arrived at White Plains Airport on a small private plane along with industrialist spouse Nita Ambani and some others en route to Yale University, where the Bollywood megastar was to receive a Chubb fellowship and deliver a speech.
While Ambani and others were cleared swiftly, Khan was reportedly stopped for extended questioning about his programme. By Khan’s own account, related in interactions with students when he finally reached Yale some three hours behind schedule, he was held for 90 minutes. US officials kick the star out of stardom, says SRK
Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan appeared to take the US airport questioning episode in his stride and even joked about it. The actor said, “Yes it (being detained at a US airport) always happens, it’s nice. Whenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself, I always make a trip to America. The immigration guys kicked the star out of stardom.” Continuing in a similar vein, Khan said, “They (immigration officials) always ask me how tall I am and I always lie and say 5 feet 10 inches. Next time, I am going to get more adventurous. (If they ask me) what colour are you, I am going to say white,” he said.
But his supporters and aides put a much more serious spin on it, saying the star was furious and it required the intervention of authorities of Yale University, where the star was to receive a Chubb fellowship, to expedite his release, although at no point was he considered under detention.
Khan also spoke about some off-the-cuff answers he gave authorities, underplaying the gravity of the episode which India’s ministry of external affairs considered serious enough to intervene in.
External affairs minister S M Krishna is said to have asked ambassador Nirupama Rao to take up the matter with the highest US authorities.
“This has become a habit of detention and then apology, this cannot continue. We need an assurance that this won't happen again,” Krishna said after US customs and border protection officials expressed 'profound apologies for detaining Khan. MEA sources were quoted as saying, “Repeated problem for same person followed by clearance on account of consulate intervention and mechanical apology is not adequate.”
In a media statement, the US embassy in Delhi apologized for the “inconvenience” caused to Khan, and embassy spokesperson Peter Vrooman said, “You can use the Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP) to resolve issues such as misidentification. DHS TRIP is a single point of contact for individuals who have inquiries or seek resolution regarding difficulties they experienced during their travel screening at transportation hubs.”
Vrooman said, “Please allow me on behalf of our diplomatic mission in India to apologize if Mr Shah Rukh Khan experienced an inconvenience or delay yesterdayin White Plains, New York on his way to Yale University,” he said. According to sources, US deputy chief of mission Donald Lu was summoned by joint secretary (Americas) Javed Ashraf and conveyed India’s “concern” over the issue.
Some other Bollywood ‘Khans’ also narrated their own incidents of “harassment”.
Director Kabir Khan, who has been detained three times so far, said, “That Shah Rukh’s name popped up in their system yet again is ridiculous. The last time this happened, the correction was made and his credentials established. It only shows that their security apparatus is faulty.”
CYBERSPACE BUZZ
• @Roflindian: US officials - “Tell us about Ra.One.” SRK: “Hhhhheeyyyy! It bombed.” “BOMB??!!”
• @vsingh92: India prays that this detaining incident doesnt lead to a sequel of My Name is Khan
• @DineshGhodke: Dear US of A, Stop detaining Shah Rukh Khan like this. He takes it out on the rest of the world with stuff like, My Name is Khan
Whenever I start feeling too arrogant, I take a trip to America
SHAH RUKH KHAN
SHAH RUKH KHAN
This has become a habit of detention and then apology, this cannot continue. We need an assurance that this won’t happen again
S M KRISHNA
S M KRISHNA
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