Natwar for 'further action' by Govt on Northwest Airlines issue

New Delhi, Aug 26 (UNI) Outraged over the maltreatment of 12 Indian passengers of a Northwest Airlines flight by Dutch police, former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh today said New Delhi should consider 'further actions' if Amsterdam does not apologise categorically in public.

''I am absolutely horrified with what happened. The whole of India is outraged. They were Indian nationals, businessmen, legitimate passengers who had paid for their tickets. It is a clear case of violation of human rights,'' he said.

''The Dutch Ambassador must be summoned again to the Foreign Office and told in categorical terms that he has to apologise (for what happened) in public,'' Mr Singh said when reached for comments on the Dutch action. A similar message should go out from the Indian mission at the Hague also, he added.

India should consider ''further actions'' on the diplomatic front if a public apology was not forthcoming from the Netherlands, he said, adding that India could not remain satisfied with just a ''regret''.

''We are civilized, decent people...but this is an absolutely outrageous thing that happened. Think of the trauma it caused to the families,'' he said.

The Netherlands yesterday denied Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma's contention that its Ambassador in New Delhi apologised for the police action against the 12 Indians.

The men were detained for questioning by Dutch police after the crew on board the Amsterdam-Mumbai Northwest Airlines flight raised the terror alarm because they were Muslims, exchanged seats and mobile phones.

The men were reportedly handcuffed, offloaded the plane, put in solitary confinement and put through rigorous questioning before being acquitted of the charge.

The Mumbai businessmen returned to emotional reunions with their families early today.

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