MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS, SHAH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001728

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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.

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INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS
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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."

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SHAH RUKH KHAN
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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?"


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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