Friday, August 25, 2006
Quoting from The Hindu newspaper, online edition :
India lodges strong protest with Dutch Govt.
New Delhi, Aug. 25 (PTI): India today lodged a strong protest with the Dutch Government over the arrest and detention of 12 Indians for alleged suspicious behaviour in a flight to Mumbai on Wednesday.
"We have lodged our protest over the way the incident (involving 12 residents of Mumbai) was handled and the treatment given to them," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Navtej Sarna told reporters after the Dutch Ambassador here was summoned by Secretary West to the Foreign Office and conveyed India's protest.
Ambassador Eric Niehe was told that the whole incident was not in conformity with the friendly relations existing between Netherlands and India, Sarna said.
The Ambassador told the Secretary that he would find out all the details from his headquarters and would revert, he said.
He said it took tremendous efforts on the part of the government of India and the Indian mission in Holland to get access to the detained Indians.
Sarna said the fact that the Indians were released without any charges being recorded against them which was symbolic of the work done by the Indian Government and its agencies there.
Sarna said the Indian businessmen were debriefed by the Charge d'affaires during a two-hour session she had with them when consular access was given to them.
The Indians were given assurances of their release and safe return home and that their families would be conveyed this information, he said.
Strong protest to Dutch government ?
May I ask why ? If let's say a plane is originating from an Indian airspace, and
let's say if some people moved suspiciously within the aircraft, do not listen to
instructions from cabin crew, won't you arrest them, handcuff them and enquire
them, especially in these days of heightened security threat ? The dutch officials
have just done their duty of thoroughly enquiring the suspects and then release
them. They have not done anything to affect the cordial relationship between
India and Netherlands. It's not their intention to humiliate the Indian citizens.
Just because the Indian government want to show that they are doing their BEST
to release their citizens, to show the world, and especially to Pakistan's lobby,
that they have done that in spite of the fact that all the arrested Indian citizens
were Muslims, this protest has been lodged.
This is purely manipulative international politics, and nothing to do with
upholding the dignity and safety of Indian citizens.
India lodges strong protest with Dutch Govt.
New Delhi, Aug. 25 (PTI): India today lodged a strong protest with the Dutch Government over the arrest and detention of 12 Indians for alleged suspicious behaviour in a flight to Mumbai on Wednesday.
"We have lodged our protest over the way the incident (involving 12 residents of Mumbai) was handled and the treatment given to them," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Navtej Sarna told reporters after the Dutch Ambassador here was summoned by Secretary West to the Foreign Office and conveyed India's protest.
Ambassador Eric Niehe was told that the whole incident was not in conformity with the friendly relations existing between Netherlands and India, Sarna said.
The Ambassador told the Secretary that he would find out all the details from his headquarters and would revert, he said.
He said it took tremendous efforts on the part of the government of India and the Indian mission in Holland to get access to the detained Indians.
Sarna said the fact that the Indians were released without any charges being recorded against them which was symbolic of the work done by the Indian Government and its agencies there.
Sarna said the Indian businessmen were debriefed by the Charge d'affaires during a two-hour session she had with them when consular access was given to them.
The Indians were given assurances of their release and safe return home and that their families would be conveyed this information, he said.
Strong protest to Dutch government ?
May I ask why ? If let's say a plane is originating from an Indian airspace, and
let's say if some people moved suspiciously within the aircraft, do not listen to
instructions from cabin crew, won't you arrest them, handcuff them and enquire
them, especially in these days of heightened security threat ? The dutch officials
have just done their duty of thoroughly enquiring the suspects and then release
them. They have not done anything to affect the cordial relationship between
India and Netherlands. It's not their intention to humiliate the Indian citizens.
Just because the Indian government want to show that they are doing their BEST
to release their citizens, to show the world, and especially to Pakistan's lobby,
that they have done that in spite of the fact that all the arrested Indian citizens
were Muslims, this protest has been lodged.
This is purely manipulative international politics, and nothing to do with
upholding the dignity and safety of Indian citizens.
