New Delhi, August 25
There has been no categoric apology from the Dutch for the detention of 12 Indian passengers on board a Mumbai-bound Northwest Airlines flight that took off from Amsterdam on August 23. The Indians were detained for alleged suspicious behaviour.
New Delhi is also livid with the ill-treatment meted out to the 12 Indians by the Dutch authorities who were released only today. A point of worry for New Delhi is that given the Western paranoia about security, the Amsterdam-type incidents may recur in future.
Mr Eric Niehe, the Dutch Ambassador here, was summoned to the Foreign office this afternoon by Secretary (West) Shashi Tripathi and at this meeting India lodged a strong protest at the way this entire incident had been handled. The Dutch Ambassador was informed that India took this matter of mishandling very seriously and that it was not in conformity with the friendly relations that exist between Netherlands and India.
For his part the Dutch Ambassador informed the Secretary that he would find out all the details from his headquarters and would get back to the Foreign Office. Ms Tripathi also told the Dutch Ambassador that such action could lead to a presumption of profiling.
The Dutch Ambassador responded by saying that he himself belonged to a multi-ethnic country and such a thing was certainly not their intention.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Navtej Sarna said: “There was treatment which was objectionable. We have lodged a strong protest. We have said that we are shocked at the incident. We have said that this is not in keeping with the friendly relations.We have protested to the Dutch Government. Now it is upto them to come back to us with a detailed report or a detailed explanation.”
