U.S. apologises to Bollywood King Shahrukh Khan for detaining him
Saturday, April 14th, 2012 12:48:25 by Imran Shaukat Khan
The United States has once again apologized to the Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, for detaining him at the airport.
Khan, also known as the King of Bollywood, landed at the New York airport in White Plains last Thursday via a private plane since he was to deliver a lecture at Yale University. However, the homeland security agents stopped him at the airport as a result to which the actor spent 90 minutes of his precious time holding a pen and answering the questions.
Khan, now 46, was also detained for two hours at the New York airport back in 2009 and this is the second time it has happened. The actor said then that the main reason behind his detention was his ‘Muslim’ name but U.S. officials don’t agree to this.
Washington has asserted that it was not a case of racial profiling or a pattern. The officials at the airport while clarifying things to the media stated that Khan was not ‘detained’ but ‘simply delayed’.
State Department spokesperson Mark Toner told reporters on Friday: “I wouldn’t necessarily look at this as some sort of pattern but rather two separate incidents.”
“Obviously, we’ve expressed our regret about the incident and recognize that he’s a very renowned artist and humanitarian,” he said.
“We apologize for any inconvenience that Mr Shah Rukh Khan may have experienced,” said Peter Vrooman, a spokesman for the US embassy.
Khan got released after the Indian Consulate intervened and since celebrity culture is huge in India, the news caused didn’t go down well in Khan’s country.
Perhaps this is a reason why New Delhi instructed India’s ambassador in Washington to take up the matter with the ‘highest U.S. authorities’.
“This policy of detention and apology by the US cannot continue,” External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said.
“We need an assurance that this won’t happen again,” Krishna said.
Khan was invited in by the Yale University since they wanted him to accept the prestigious Chubb Fellowship.
Khan while delivering the lecture at the University joked and said, “Whenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself, I always make a trip to America.”
Tags: Actor, Airport, Bollywood King, Detained, Shah Rukh Khan, U.S. apologisesShort URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=18992
Posted by Imran Shaukat Khan
on Apr 14 2012. Filed under Bollywood.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
“Reacting strongly to the detention, Krishna said it has become a policy of detention and apology by the US which cannot continue.” Who cares for what he says? The US officials take orders from the State Department, not from Krishna. All he can get now is an (empty) apology and he can go back to sleep, contented. On the other hand, he should (instead) take to task the arrogant, callous, improper and insane behaviour put by the so-called ‘Indian consular staff’ towards ordinary Indian citizens abroad. First, those criminal morons should be thrashed to discipline and then, Krishna can worry about ‘disciplining’ other countries.