Bollywood stars like Sahrukh Khan need VIP and deplomatic status

It is an irony that the day we were expecting to watch parade on Rajpath on national television channel what we found was that SRK was frisked on an airport in America. News was so big, if we believe media, that many felt as if the Indian sovereignty has been stripped off by a immigration officer in America. How sad! How come an immigration officer do this with our star entertainer. He is King Khan. His name is Khan. Perhaps this was the reason.

Media did not allow us to think or reflect on the incidence and Internet forums were filled with the support for SRK. National pride came into picture. Online bloggers and facebook and twitter society found this an outrageous and unacceptable behavior. Media also found support from some of the minister in Indian government. Twitter savvy External minister of state Shashi Tharoor wanted to take this issue with the US government and Ambika Soni wanted tit-for-tat.

But the biggest question is who is Sahrukh Khan? For a foreign country like America he is just a traveller who comes very often to America. Incidentally his surname is Khan that is very common surname among the perpetrators against America. He was not arrest at all. He was just questioned by the immigration officer. There is nothing wrong in that. All the visas for most of the countries do not allow automatic entry into the borders of the respective countries. All visas are conditional. One needs to satisfy the immigration officer on the airport for the purpose of visit and whatever the doubt immigration officer might have.

Unfortunately, Mr Khan found this insulting that someone questioned him. He is treated like god (small g, and not God) Khan in India. Whatever he says, everyone wants to listen. He has access to all the top people of the country. He can whatever he wants to. But he forgets that he is not a VIP by status, only by demand or box office success. He has no official authority. In fact, officially he can not get any support from the Government of India other than an ordinary citizen of India when he is abroad. Though through his contacts, he can expedite his questioning on the airport. That's it.

In fact, if the US embassy takes offence of what has been said against the US immigration policies in the media, by SRK and his supporters, in last couple of days, he will be disciplined by the ministry of external affairs. India do not want to (or can not afford) to jeopardise Indian diplomatic relationship with US at this juncture for SRK. He needs to realise that. Perhaps he has understood that he has overreacted and now his is downplaying and not demanding any apology or special treatment from US government.