MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS, SHAH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001728 SIPDIS STATE FOR NP, AC, PM STATE FOR INR/MR STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU STATE FOR AID/APRE-A USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS, SHAH RUKH KHAN; NEW DELHI. This countrywide cable reports on relevant media reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. The Mission reports on English-language media via email through the daily "Early Edition" summary. -------------- INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS -------------- ¶1. "MUSHARRAF IN TROUBLE," editorial in August 17 centrist Hindi daily, DAINIK HINDUSTAN: "Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry's Supreme Court bench got ex- President General Musharraf into trouble declaring his provisional constitutional order unconstitutional. If President Zardari and PM Gilani accept this anti- Musharraf movement, they will politically be weakened. The army will also not like its former chief facing imprisonment. The problem is that the constitutional organizations and the system in Pakistan are not strong enough to tolerate this political turmoil. If it continues, it could become difficult even for the U.S., which is more concerned than Pakistanis about Pakistan's stability, to control this uproar." -------------- SHAH RUKH KHAN -------------- ¶2. "EXTREME ALERTNESS," editorial in August 17 centrist Hindi daily, NAVBHARAT TIMES: "It is because of America's extraordinary vigilance that no terrorist attack occurred after 9/11 in that country. This, however, does not mean foreign visitors should be harassed and humiliated. The U.S. should stop talking big about civil rights if it sees terrorists in Indian actors and elderly politicians. At the same time, an Indian federal minister's call for tit-for-tat treatment of Americans is not an intelligent suggestion either. The Indian government should introduce a bilateral system with the US of carrying out full investigations at the visa issuance stage and, in case of an unpleasant situation, doubts should be sorted out at the Embassy level." ¶3. "BECAUSE MY NAME IS KHAN," editorial in August 17 right-of-center Urdu daily, URDU TIMES: "Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan was subjected to a nightmare in America. Even he had to admit he was detained at the airport only because his name is Khan. An Indian lawyer has rightly said there is no democracy in America, only a dictatorship that victimizes one and all. Minister Ambika Soni's suggestion for a tit-for-tat policy seems justified." ¶4. "ACRID EXPERIENCE OF SHAH RUKH KHAN," editorial in August 18 right-of-center Urdu daily, ETEMAAD: "The detention of superstar Shah Rukh Khan at an airport in the US is unfortunate. Hundreds of thousands of Indian people face similar situations at American airports. Is the Indian government inquiring about them also?" NEW DELHI 00001728 002 OF 002 ¶5. "KHAN' POLITICS," editorial in August 18 right-of- center Gujarati daily, GUJARAT SAMACHAR: "A mature star like Shah Rukh Khan arguing that he was singled out because of his being a 'Khan' is ludicrous. If America was biased against 'Khans', why would a top U.S. official share the stage with a person having the same last name? Maybe Shah Rukh Khan made such an unjustifiable allegation against the US administration because he is envious about the success his competitor Aamir Khan received when he shared the dais with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton." ¶6. "YOU ARE SHAH RUKH KHAN, SO WHAT?" editorial in August 18 centrist Marathi Daily, PRAHAAR: "The American airport authorities have every right to question and interrogate Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan. The U.S. has to follow the basic security procedures. The country hasn't spared senators, so who is Khan? In fact, the U.S. has so far not distinguished between common people and celebrities. That's precisely why the country has been able to prevent another 9/11 type attack." ROEMER