Amritsar, October 17
Former Prime Minister I. K. Gujral, accompanied by Kuldip Nayyar, former MP and veteran journalist, today faced “humiliation” at the hands of the staff posted at the Wagah joint check post on their return from Pakistan this afternoon. They were on a two-day visit to Lahore for a meeting of South Asia for Human Rights.

They lodged a protest with the immigration authorities at the post in this regard.

Though Mr Gujral refused to give details of the incident, eyewitnesses told newspersons that he had felt slighted by the “odd behaviour” of the officials who asked him to fill a form, stand in a queue and wait for his turn for the formalities to be completed.

A senior officer of the department said he would be able to comment only after getting a complete report about the incident. In case officials were found having been discourteous, action would be taken against them.

Mr Gujral remarked that if the immigration staff “could do this to a former Prime Minister, I wonder what would be the fate of a common man with their arrogant behaviour.”

Kuldip Nayyar said it was an unfortunate episode, which demonstrated that Indian officials were not friendly at the international border and lacked courtesy.

Apart from this humiliation, no leader from the ruling party or district official was present to receive the former Prime Minister.

Mr Narpal Singh Shergill, a London-based journalist, speaking on the phone, said the incident was being highlighted as it concerned a prominent personality. However, non-resident Indians routinely faced such humiliation at the Wagah post, airport at Rajasansi and Atari railway station. He urged the authorities to streamline the procedures at these places so that the harassment could be avoided.