Immigration authorities refuse to budge

GoanCanuck · Aug 11th, 2007, 14:58

Kolkata: Immigration officials deport 12-year-old

George Joseph in New York

August 11, 2007 13:38 IST

A 12-year-old girl poses a security threat to India, according to immigration officials at Kolkata airport.

That's why they denied a temporary landing permit to 12-year-old Medha Ghosh and deported her, along with her mother, within an hour of their landing.

http://in.rediff.com/news/2007/aug/11george.htm

batistuta · Aug 11th, 2007, 15:23

I feel for the family, but the rules are rules. I wonder if U.S. or any other country will show some leniency in this case. How did she board the flight without the Indian visa in the passport?

Nick-H · Aug 11th, 2007, 18:32

It's a politician's family so there's probably more to it than is going to be made public.

On the other hand, "security risk" has become the crap garbage jargon for anything these days. Just shows how shallow people are. Surely the correct reason would have been not having valid travel documents!

It used to be 'Health and Safety reasons...'.

Except in India where neither concept would be recognised

Tapestry · Aug 11th, 2007, 19:03

I have to say this story doesn't really tug at my heart strings. You have to have a valid visa to enter India as a foreigner. She didn't have it, so she had to leave. Obviously she shouldn't have been able to board the flight in the first place, so the airline is partly to blame. But the parents have to take responsibility for carrying the visa with them, and they forgot, so they paid the price.

shashank.aggarwal · Aug 11th, 2007, 20:53

very true....It was bit insensitive on part of Media to raise the issue...

If they would have been flexible then they might have said that Thank god this was a 12 years old child..and our officials are so irresponsible..it could have been some negative element..

incitatus · Aug 12th, 2007, 08:17

An Indian passport holder arriving in the USA would have been accorded the same treatment except he or she may have been shackled to a chair whilst awaiting deportation.
I'm not sure how the airline can be blamed-how is Lufthansa to know that the girl didn't have a PIO document? and why should they care?

Nick-H · Aug 12th, 2007, 10:41

...they should care very much, because an airline is required to return people whence they came, at its own expense, if their immigration status is not correct.

That is why the airlines look, or should do, at your passport/visa on checkin.

It costs them if they make a mistake --- but, it seems, they do make mistakes, and fairly regularly.

Aug 11th, 2007, 14:58	#1
GoanCanuck Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Vancouver Posts: 2,827	Immigration authorities refuse to budge Kolkata: Immigration officials deport 12-year-old George Joseph in New York August 11, 2007 13:38 IST A 12-year-old girl poses a security threat to India, according to immigration officials at Kolkata airport. That's why they denied a temporary landing permit to 12-year-old Medha Ghosh and deported her, along with her mother, within an hour of their landing. http://in.rediff.com/news/2007/aug/11george.htm

Aug 11th, 2007, 18:32	#3
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,471	It's a politician's family so there's probably more to it than is going to be made public. On the other hand, "security risk" has become the crap garbage jargon for anything these days. Just shows how shallow people are. Surely the correct reason would have been not having valid travel documents! It used to be 'Health and Safety reasons...'. Except in India where neither concept would be recognised __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Aug 11th, 2007, 20:53	#5
shashank.aggarwal Mr. Tagless Join Date: May 2007 Location: ~ Dilli ~ Posts: 4,670	very true....It was bit insensitive on part of Media to raise the issue... If they would have been flexible then they might have said that Thank god this was a 12 years old child..and our officials are so irresponsible..it could have been some negative element.. __________________ Travelogue - Around India Random Reviews

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Aug 11th, 2007, 15:23	#2
batistuta Neti-Neti Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,687	I feel for the family, but the rules are rules. I wonder if U.S. or any other country will show some leniency in this case. How did she board the flight without the Indian visa in the passport?

Aug 11th, 2007, 19:03	#4
Tapestry Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Delhi Posts: 313	I have to say this story doesn't really tug at my heart strings. You have to have a valid visa to enter India as a foreigner. She didn't have it, so she had to leave. Obviously she shouldn't have been able to board the flight in the first place, so the airline is partly to blame. But the parents have to take responsibility for carrying the visa with them, and they forgot, so they paid the price.

Aug 12th, 2007, 08:17	#6
incitatus Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: UK Posts: 207	An Indian passport holder arriving in the USA would have been accorded the same treatment except he or she may have been shackled to a chair whilst awaiting deportation. I'm not sure how the airline can be blamed-how is Lufthansa to know that the girl didn't have a PIO document? and why should they care?

Aug 12th, 2007, 10:41	#7
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,471	...they should care very much, because an airline is required to return people whence they came, at its own expense, if their immigration status is not correct. That is why the airlines look, or should do, at your passport/visa on checkin. It costs them if they make a mistake --- but, it seems, they do make mistakes, and fairly regularly.

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