No frisking of 3 service chiefs at airports

The controversy over the non-inclusion of three service chiefs in the list of VIPs exempt from security checks at the airports has been resolved.

The controversy over the non-inclusion of three service chiefs in the list of VIPs exempt from security checks at the airports has been resolved with their inclusion in the exemption category by the government.

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"I think it is appropriate to give them exemption who defend our country's borders," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told reporters in the Parliament.

Patel said that the three service chiefs have been included at Number 12 in the Warrant of Precedence issued by the Rashtrapati Bhawan indicating thereby that those who figures in the warrant are waived from security checks at the airports.

Asked whether such exemption would open a pandora's box with fresh demands coming from different sections, the minister replied in the negative.

"We have a committee which goes into all such issues before taking a decision... Only three service chiefs have been included... There is no question of opening a pandora's box," he said.

The fact that the privileges the airport authorities extend to Cabinet ministers, Ministers of State, several senior officials, VIPs including the husband of Priyanka Gandhi among others was missing for the chiefs of Army, Navy and Air force has upset many in the military.