‘Security breach’ ahead of R-Day at Srinagar Airport

Questions raised over separatist leader’s protocol at VIP Lounge

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Jan 22: Increased vigil ahead of Republic Day at the country’s most sensitive Srinagar Airport has brought into question Jammu & Kashmir government’s “undeclared protocol” to Chairman of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Alongwith two female members of his family, Police led the separatist leader to the VIP Lounge and reportedly served the trio coffee when Mirwaiz checked in on Friday afternoon to catch a Delhi-bound Go Air flight.

On way to London for participation in an international conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was captured by CCTVs while entering the VIP Lounge at Srinagar Airport on Friday afternoon twice. He remained seated alongwith two co-passengers, believed to be his family members. Mirwaiz is a Z-plus protected political leader but not entitled to remain seated and other protocol at the VIP lounges of Indian airports. However, the VIP Lounge at the Departure provided to the separatist leader extraordinary treatment, reserved by book only to Ministers and top government functionaries and judges of state High Courts and Supreme Court of India.

Officials in a Central agency, related to aviation and airport security, according to informed sources, have taken exception to what they had described as “breach of security” ahead of the Republic Day ceremonies of January 26^th. However, a middle rung official in J&K Police dismissed the incident as a “breach of protocol” and insisted that prominent separatist leaders like Mirwaiz could not be expected to hijack airplanes. He, however, admitted that Mirwaiz or any other separatist politician, protected or otherwise, was not entitled to the VIP treatment at the VIP lounge.

Sources said that the central security agency was in the process of writing to their headquarters in New Delhi about the “undeclared VIP treatment” being provided to certain separatist leaders by men of J&K Police at Srinagar Airport. Even as SP Anti-hijacking, Abdul Rasheed, and Director Airport were not available for comment, sources revealed to Early Times that Budgam Police were likely to identify the personnel on duty in next two days and disciplinary action could be initiated against them for arranging the sitting of a separatist leader without entitlement in the VIP Lounge at Departure.

“This is nothing knew. Mirwaiz Sahab and many others, not entitled to VIP treatment, have been enjoying the comfort and hospitality in VIP lounges of Srinagar Airport since long. While Mirwaiz is invariably escorted to the VIP Lounge and seats in the first row of airplanes are always kept reserved for him with the help of airport staff, private airlines staff and the security staff, people like Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Yasin Malik are not allowed in”, said an official posted at the airport. He said that even a number of influential businessmen and travel agents, who have put airport staff on their monthly payrolls, had been enjoying VIP treatment in brazen violation of rules and security guidelines at Srinagar Airport.

Sources added that with the help of such illegally bought staff, certain businessmen, travel agency operators and government employees had been carrying huge amounts of cash and quantities of gold in their luggage from Srinagar to Delhi. They said that one of the travel agency operators was found carrying cash worth around Rs one Crore but nobody at the airport had objected to him. On the other hand, students carrying even Rs 50,000 or one Lakh for their college fees and studies in different Indian cities were being subjected to a great deal of inconvenience and asked to declare purpose of carrying cash and its purpose with “proofs”.

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