Fernandes

New Delhi, July 14: US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage today apologised to former defence minister George Fernandes, who was “strip-searched” by American airport security staff twice, but said he was not aware of any complaint lodged by Delhi with Washington.

The humiliation the former minister faced — once in early 2002 at Dulles airport when he was on an official visit to the US and again in mid-2003 when he was on his way to Brazil — was kept a secret by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government.

Neither Fernandes nor any other member of the NDA ever spoke about it although the former minister has claimed that he did complain to American authorities. The incidents came to light recently when Armitage’s predecessor, Strobe Talbott, published a book in which he spoke about how Fernandes was twice “strip-searched” by security officials at US airports.

The former defence minister has said he will never visit the US again. But he made his stand public only after excerpts from Talbott’s book were widely quoted in the media.

“On the way in the car here, I had the opportunity to telephone my old friend George Fernandes and told him I had heard about the problem he had. I was horrified about it and I personally apologised to him,” Armitage said this morning after meeting .K. Advani. But he was quick to point out that Fernandes was subjected to a body-search, not a “strip-search”.

Later, the former minister confirmed that Armitage expressed his “profound apology” but did not say if it would overturn his decision not to visit the US again. Giving his version of the incidents, Fernandes said he was asked to remove his coat, shoes and socks, which he did. “Then I was asked to spread my arms and then raise them,” he said. “After that, khel khatam ho gaya (the game was over).”

Armitage made it clear he had not expressed “regret” but “apologised” to Fernandes and hoped that this would help change his stand of not visiting the US. “George is a dear friend of mine and a cherished friend of the US,” the deputy secretary of state added.

The issue was raised in Lok Sabha today by the RJD and the Left who blamed the previous government for failing to take up the issue at the proper level with the US administration.

But the present government does not seem keen to revive the issue. Foreign ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna stonewalled all questions with a one-liner that Armitage had already spoken about the incident and he had nothing more to say.

Officials said in private that the Centre is not interested in opening a front with the US over Fernandes’ humiliation since he had himself kept quiet.