Privileges for exemption from security at airports  must go

Recently government has taken a sloppy and bungled decision after one and half year  to remove Robert  Vadra from the list of people who are exempted from frisking check up at airports. This has raised the debate on why should such privileges be granted to any one if security is top priority for the Government. India is a land of privileges and display VIP- status- on- the sleeve culture. Everyone who has some position wants to display that he is above others. There is virtually a scramble for Red lights on the vehicle so that he is not checked anywhere. Even Panchayat pradhan have put up boards on the cars to display their status. This is a new caste system and the guarantee in the constitution that all citizens are equal is flouted every day in one or the other manner. Still we are a democratic country with a constitution that is egalitarian and guarantees all rights of freedom and equality to us. We witness everyday on roads caravans of cars rushing in at top speed following a VVIP. Roads are jammed with such people as citizens are stranded and see them in awe. Why should there be any discrimination between ordinary citizens and some specially decorated people? Is it not a new caste system?

When I was Chairman of the Airports Authority there was a short list but even then  I know one civil aviation minister, who was in z security status, insisted that he should be checked as security is for everyone and security must do its duty. Now we have 33 categories of people who are exempted from the check. No where in the world such situation exists. It could be surprise for many in India to know that in Britain except royalty no one is exempted from check. Even the Prime Minister goes through pre embarkation check. India US aviation security group has already suggested for curtailing Indian list and it could be under consideration but the present scenario is unprecedented in a country where security is top priority due to strong possibility of air sabotage.

Once I asked my son who was an NSG commando and later raised a company in Kargil war, who can we trust for security. His answer was crisp ‘No man can be fully trusted. ‘Then?’ I asked him. He said ‘we can only fully trust a dog or amachine’. It set me thinking and I found that a lot of progress has been made on cyber security and different techniques like biometrics that can ensure security. This can obviate whole rigmarole of rough and shoddy hand frisking by the security jawans. In Gatwick airport when biometric was introduced 3000 passengers could go secured without even boarding pass in  minutes. Dublin introduced secure gates biometrics and 1000 passengers were cleared in 7.5 minutes. San Francesco could catch a woman with fake documents also. We should, therefore. Go in for mechanized checking with cyber means. But our primitive thinking does not want to give up hand frisking and rough shaking the person and are not prone to acceptance of high tech security.

Till we bring in cyber security we should make the present system more benign and civilized by discrete body scanning. Security that does its duty at airports should be specially trained for courtesy and discretion. At the same time these 33 categories should be reduced to three. First it should have President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice. These are heads of Republic, Executive and judiciary. Second Category should be Head of Governments and Chief Justices of state in their own state airports only. Third should be Foreigner diplomats or Foreign eminent guests as cleared by External Affairs and internationally awarded persons like Nobel eg  Dalai Lama or others as cleared by Home Ministry. No more exemptions should be allowed and all Ministers and officials including governors should go through the checks except in the own states.

Similarly there should be executive lounges for which all should pay except special room for the Heads of central/state Government. Airports should become business like and efficient without leaving the trace of aristocracy for status display privileges.

--Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India