Robert Vadra may have been just another rich boy from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, if he hadn’t done the saat pheras with Priyanka Gandhi. But an act of monumental perfidy of the Union civil aviation ministry has pitchforked Sonia Gandhi‘s son-in-law into the limelight, an act that should prompt an entire nation to ask: is this man bigger than the chief of the army, navy and the air force put together?
In what only be construed a snub, the ministry has decreed that the three defence chiefs—the leaders of our armed forces!—should subject themselves to frisking at security checks at civilian airports like any other civilian. And this while ministers, ministers of state, lowly bureaucrats, and even Robert Vadra, are exempt. The ministry has said that exempting the defence chiefs would open up similar requests.
Questions: Is it fair to “suspect” the men in uniform while netas and babus sail through? Is this an unintended insult or a well-considered move to prevent the defence chiefs from gaining iconic status like in Pakistan, with all its attendant troubles? Should the defence chiefs and the citizens swallow this insult? Or should you ask on what earthly ground Robert Vadra is deemed to be beyond such scrutiny?
Photograph courtesy: BBC
churumuri 
just think who would want to frisk some of the dirtiest linen in the country
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Quottrochi’s name is not there in the exempt list ? I am surprised !
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Sadly, Army chief can’t sack a CISF officer, Politician can….
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Did they take 7 pheras or bride got kissed by the groom
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you want to be on the exempt list…
just spend 20 Rs on some affidavit, and add the surname “Gandhi”
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Honestly, how we try to crawl when we are asked to bend! It would be interesting to know who gave the orders to put Vadra on the exempt list. Could it be the home minister who has not done a single job of saving the citizens of this country from terrorists? Or is it the PMO who will go to any length to kowtow in front of Madam?
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just spend 20 Rs on some affidavit, and add the surname “Gandhi”
Now you will have DKShi(t) running after you to undress you! :D
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Thought a person might not have been born gtratgreatness can be thrust on him by his wife/father-in-law/mother-in-law/HM who doesn’t bother about the procedures. Thank God, the Defence chiefs have not been asked to get kerosene and other things standing in the queue. In India defence personnel are security risks. Forgive the people in power for they donot know what they are doing.
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While it is sad that there is such a situation, it should be seen more as a limitation of the system than as a specific person’s fault. This should not be sensationalised by the media or any others.
As the defence chiefs report to the Def. minister, they happen to be placed at the same security level as senior bureaucrats. If they have to be granted exceptions, then it is better to define clear procedures for all important non elected officials rather than make up an arbitrary list. I think this issue has now got the attention of the govenment and hopefully it should be rectified.
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Not A Witty Nick/ DK Sit gang, plz note…
Indira marries Feroz Gandhi = sheds Nehru surname and is Gandhi
Rajiv marries Sonia= Sonia sheds Maino and becomes Gandhi
Priyanka marries Rober Wadhra= and STILL WANTS TO BE CALLED GANDHI! and even the media calls her so!Why?
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I once saw a bureaucrat-higher-up sail past the security/customs while the rest of us Indians and foreigners had to stand in long queues to face the wierd government creatures that populate our airports. Made one feel like a loser in our own country.
And the airport and all the employees there actually live off the money that we pay as taxes.
Remove all special privileges for all politicians and bureaucrats! At least then they will realise how inefficiently our airports are run. In what f*****g way are they or their work special anyway?
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They are all live bombs! If you frisk them they may explode! So it is. They are all Crooks, Convicts and blood sucking Basterds, so are Exempted.
My aunt who is a widow, has torsered her head and does not wear a blouse and covers herself with her sari, was frisked at the Bangalore air port asking her to uncover her chest and security people around made fun of her. She is a BA (Hon) 1952, from Maharaja college and she gave it back to the security personel and the Airport officials. A big crowd gathered there and none of them objected to this outrage!
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Did our Previous Congress President’s Children and their spouse enjoy this previlage. Will this facility be removed once some other party comes to power at the center. What facility has been provided to Sonia’s mother in IDLY, sorry Italy at our expence?
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The chiefs are the most powerful men in India. All they need is a 100,000 troops and few public executions of the corrupt to take the country over without any protests. It bears testament to the professionalism of the Indian armed forces that we don’t see a situation like the ones in our neighbors. They have resisted such a temptation for the last 60 yrs. Really, how hard is it for them to impose martial law in India? If India is a Democracy, then it is in no small part due to the restraint of her armed forces.The least that can be done for the chiefs is to spare them the humiliation of being frisked at the airports.
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Melange, hats off to your flights of fancy !!! ;)
“Really, how hard is it for them to impose martial law in India? If India is a Democracy, then it is in no small part due to the restraint of her armed forces.”
Its next to impossible dear !! The constitution of India takes care of that !!
Brazen Executive led by Mrs G could that…but not the armed forces…
Why do you thnk the three service chiefs wd be HUMILIATED by frisking? I am sure they wl take that as just another rule to folow….or may be new addition to their “occupational hazard” ….
In fact, everyone including ministers, these so called VIPs and all should be frisked….Rule is a Rule… no one should be exempted from that….barring the PM, Prez and some more…
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Actually the SPG which protects many of our Natas –in a sense are actually protecting us from them– Without SPG cover they would have gone berserk and hurt all of us.
Hence security cover is for whom? is important issue–particularly given to these dumbsters like Vadra of Mordabad– It requires high level of fantasy/imagination to think that he is threatned by terrorists– It is the case of protecting us from him–
rvaidya
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“..The constitution of India takes care of that !!”
The constitution is just paper. It won’t stop them if they want to. I think this is a distinct possibility in the future: When the population touches 2 billion; when mutinies break out all over as though it were pimples on a teenager; When the country becomes ungovernable. For more, buy my book…….;)
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Melange,
I wonder if the army taking over is such a thrilling thought. From what I heard from friends who are in the army, at the higher levels, it is no less corrupt than any other public institution in India. If anything, the kickbacks and sums money which change hands are as large as those in civilian scams and deals.
But your thought of mutinies at 2 billion etc. – sounds all too true! If people are to survive, some means of population control (voluntary or otherwise) will be necessary.
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AG,
I’m not advocating any such take over. I’m just giving credit where it is due. Civilian control of the armed forces is an important thing.
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What a bloody shame that the Chief’s of staff of defence services are to be frisked at the Airport by an ordinary Inspector or subinspectors.In other words these people are above the Defence chief’s to check any weapons which they might have!
Whoever has framed such rules lacks sense.Did they ever thought of the enormous power the defence Chief’s wield during War? Are they to be searched that too by an ordinary Inspector
or a Subinspector?
Who is going to correct these thickheads?
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Cpt. Char seems to have gone too emotional, but inspectors & sub inspectors on duty are not lesser creatures. In RAW even chief has to under go manual & tech. frisking to enter his own office. Practicaly, service chiefs are never subjected to frisking anywhere. In fact considering their operational requirement they r provided with seperate aircrafts & they never travel by civil domestic flites. So the issue is nothing but hipe & ego-bating.
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