Frisking issue before Parliament, how can I comment: Kalam

Kochi/New Delhi, July 23 (PTI) "I am smiling," quipped
former Indian President A P J Abdul Kalam on Thursday
apparently not wanting to make much fuss over frisking by
staff of an American airline at the Delhi airport.

"It is true that such a thing (frisking) has taken
place," Kalam told reporters at Kochi in India's southern
state of Kerala.

But "the issue has been discussed in both Houses of
Parliament. It is before Parliament now. How can I comment?"

The 77-year-old former President, who is among those
exempted from security checks at airports, was replying to
questions on whether he felt insulted on being subjected to a
security check by staff of Continental Airlines on April 21.

Kalam, who is on a visit to Kerala, said he is "yet"
to receive the apology from the American airliner for
breaching the protocol norms at the Delhi's airport.

"I have not yet received it," said Kalam when asked
about the apology sent by the airline.

The airline had Wednesday apologised to Kalam
following an uproar in Parliament on the issue of the security
check before he was to board a Newark-bound flight on April
21.

When contacted, the airline Thursday said it had sent
the apology letter to Kalam's Delhi office as directed by his
official staff and since the former President was travelling,
his staff may not have been able to communicate to him about
the letter.

"We are waiting for him to return to Delhi so that we
can apologise to the former president in person," a
spokesperson of the airline said in Delhi. PTI UD
RAI
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