Tags:
Journalism of Courage
More than 24 years ago,Neerja Bhanot died at the hands of Libya-backed terrorists,who had hijacked a Pan Am aircraft at the Karachi Airport. Now,Chandigarh-based Rama Bhanot,Neerjas mother,unhappy with the discriminatory attitude of the US government in settling claims cases of those who died in the hijack,has sought an audience with US President Barack Obama.
Rama Bhanots daughter was the first Indian woman to get the gallantry award during peace time the Ashok Chakra in recognition of the supreme sacrifice made by her of giving up her life to save US citizens on board the aircraft.
It was the US citizens,who were the main target of the four Palestinian terrorists. She fell to a hail of bullets after she opened the emergency doors,flung a chute and was assisting passengers to escape.
In a letter to the White House and the US Ambassador to India,Rama Bhanot and 120 other Indians,including families of 13 Indians who were killed in the 1986 hijacking,have asked Obama to treat their case like that of the Pan Am 103 (Lockerbie) case,where passengers of all nationalities were provided compensation by way of the Libyan Claims Resolution Act,finalised by the George Bush Administration.
My daughter died while saving American passengers. She was an employee of an American airline,and on an American plane when she died. Yet,the American government disowned all responsibility towards her and other Indians. Where is justice? asked 83-year-old Rama Bhanot.
They have also requested for a meeting with Obama,who is shortly arriving to India on a state visit.
