Amjad Ali Khan says he felt humiliated by the US authorities
Highlights
- Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, once detained and frisked at a US airport in what he believes was "racial profiling", has asked authorities to take steps like on the spot background check to avoid humiliation of visitors.
- "If they talk to a visitor looking into their eyes, these trained officers can find out if he or she is a terrorist. This would solve half of the problems but these officers talk to you looking at the computer monitors or go by the last names perfunctorily," Khan lamented.
- Amjad Ali Khan, 67, was detained and frisked at the Philadelphia airport last year when he was about to board an aircraft to San Francisco as a visiting fellow of Stanford University in California.
- He said it seems American officials did not know what to do when they see a Muslim name pop up on their computer at the airport.
- "I had the same issue with immigration officials in the past on arrival thanks to my last name Khan. This is nothing but racial profiling. I am not carrying a suicide bomb or a security threat to any country," he said.
- "But it seems American officials did not know what to do when they see a Muslim name pop up on their computer at the airport. They want to check the whole body and frisk using some chemicals creating lot of tension."
- In an interview to PTI, Amjad Ali Khan said anyone with a weak heart would have a heart attack after undergoing the humiliation at the hands of the officers.
- He suggested that US Immigration and Border Security and domestic Transportation Security Administration officials should be provided with Internet connectivity on their computers to help them do background search on visitors and travellers to the US on the spot rather than humiliating them by detaining at the ante-rooms.
- "I am uniting people with my music and not dividing them. I suggest that the US security checkpoint officers and immigration counters be equipped with Internet connections so that the officers can quickly go online and check the background of the person standing before them," Khan said.
- Khan said last year, security officials took him to an ante-room for interrogation and further questioning for two hours while his family was waiting anxiously. "Why not these officials look into someone's eyes and talk rather than humiliating the guests of the country. Moreover, I am a permanent resident and legally allowed to stay in the country and not a tourist," he said.
- Amjad Ali Khan visits the US several times in a year and maintains a residence in the US. "At the end, they would turn to you coolly and say 'sorry and you may now go' without realising how much of damage had been done. They grope you with chemicals and give body massage without your consent and say thanks," he rued.
- Amjad Ali Khan feels the such behaviour would discourage tourism, which provides fuel for the economic growth of the country. "Please do not discourage tourism in the US which is a money spinner and necessary for a healthy growth of economy. If people are afraid to enter the US or UK how can the country survive?" he asked.
- "Considering the problems faced by the world especially US where innocent people are targeted by a group of people who are committed to destruction, certain measures are necessary and no one would oppose any genuine steps taken to protect the country," he said.
Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, oncedetained and frisked at a US airport in what he believes was"racial profiling", has asked authorities to take steps likeon the spot background check to avoid humiliation of visitors.
"If they talk to a visitor looking into their eyes, thesetrained officers can find out if he or she is a terrorist.This would solve half of the problems but these officers talkto you looking at the computer monitors or go by the lastnames perfunctorily," Khan lamented.
Amjad Ali Khan, 67, was detained and frisked at the Philadelphiaairport last year when he was about to board an aircraft toSan Francisco as a visiting fellow of Stanford University inCalifornia.
He said it seems American officials did not know what todo when they see a Muslim name pop up on their computer at theairport.
"I had the same issue with immigration officials in thepast on arrival thanks to my last name Khan. This is nothingbut racial profiling. I am not carrying a suicide bomb or asecurity threat to any country," he said.
"But it seems American officials did not know what to dowhen they see a Muslim name pop up on their computer at theairport. They want to check the whole body and frisk usingsome chemicals creating lot of tension."
In an interview to PTI, Amjad Ali Khan said anyone with a weakheart would have a heart attack after undergoing thehumiliation at the hands of the officers.
He suggested that US Immigration and Border Security anddomestic Transportation Security Administration officialsshould be provided with Internet connectivity on theircomputers to help them do background search on visitors andtravellers to the US on the spot rather than humiliating themby detaining at the ante-rooms.
"I am uniting people with my music and not dividing them. Isuggest that the US security checkpoint officers andimmigration counters be equipped with Internet connections sothat the officers can quickly go online and check thebackground of the person standing before them," Khan said.
Khan said last year, security officials took him to anante-room for interrogation and further questioning for twohours while his family was waiting anxiously."Why not these officials look into someone's eyes andtalk rather than humiliating the guests of the country.Moreover, I am a permanent resident and legally allowed tostay in the country and not a tourist," he said.
Amjad Ali Khan visits the US several times in a year and maintainsa residence in the US."At the end, they would turn to you coolly and say 'sorryand you may now go' without realising how much of damage hadbeen done. They grope you with chemicals and give body massagewithout your consent and say thanks," he rued.
Amjad Ali Khan feels the such behaviour would discourage tourism,which provides fuel for the economic growth of the country."Please do not discourage tourism in the US which is amoney spinner and necessary for a healthy growth of economy.If people are afraid to enter the US or UK how can the countrysurvive?" he asked.
"Considering the problems faced by the world especiallyUS where innocent people are targeted by a group of people whoare committed to destruction, certain measures are necessaryand no one would oppose any genuine steps taken to protect thecountry," he said.