The Ministry of External Affairs has taken seriously the matter of detention of Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan in Boston, United States.
Accordiing to Syed Akbaruddin, the spokesperson of MEA, "The ministry has asked our embassy in Washington DC to take up this matter with the appropriate authorities. We have received reports from our consulate in NYC on this incident.”
Samajwadi party has also lodged a formal protest with the Indian government over the issue. Senior SP leader Ram Asrey Kushwaha said that he was not at all surprised by the incident, as this has happened in the past with several Indian leaders, film stars and citizens.
Kushwaha said, "We get to see the culture of America through this. Whatever happened with Azam Khan is condemnable. The whole of India is angry."
The Samajwadi Party will complain about this to the Indian Government," he added. Media reports said Khan, who is accompanying Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for a talk at Harvard University, was detained briefly for questioning at the Boston Logan International Airport on Wednesday.
According to sources, the UP ministers team was received by Indian embassy officials and were greeted courteously by US Immigration officials who also helped them fill arrival forms. A woman officer, however, took Khan to an adjacent room "for further questioning."
The extended interview lasted for 10 minutes and the minister was cleared. An upset Khan reportedly raised a din in the immigration area, alleging that he was detained because he was a Muslim and sought an apology from the officer, who reportedly said she was doing her duty.
She reportedly explained to the minister that additional interviews or questioning should not be construed as an insult or suspicion in view of security threats and guidelines on entry of visitors to the US. Higher officials intervened and Khan was escorted out of the airport.
(With inputs from ANI)
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