Shame in Gujarat

From Ayodhya to Ahmedabad, over 10 years. As the Cold War ended and the world went back to the business of getting its act together in the face of very different challenges, India seemed to wilfully self-destruct on the altar of medieval mythmaking. The horror mounted as Gujarat burnt and the nation’s reputation as the world’s largest democracy, a self-made nuclear weapons power, above all, a secular state, began to wear extremely thin. Headlines in the international press brought back memories of the time the Babri masjid was destroyed in 1992 and the world first slammed, then began to shun, India. One result was the return of the Kashmir dispute to the front pages, from where it has not moved since.

Then as now, the Gulf and West Asian nations (about 3.5 million Indians work in the region) are taking an extremely critical look at the country. Musharraf has not been able to resist taking potshots at New Delhi, calling upon the international community to pass strictures against this country. The US, especially, is keeping a ‘‘night and day’’ watch on developments, with Secretary of State Colin Powell ordering regular reports and updates on the communal frenzy. The large Gujarati-Indian origin populations in nations like the US and UK are also said to be driving their governments to keep a watchful eye on the recent pogrom in Gujarat.

Million poems

The best ideas must have the simplest origins. One starry, starry night, India’s permanent representative to the UN Kamalesh Sharma thought it would be a good idea to put together some of the best and brightest poetry of the world, as seen through the eyes of the UN, its big and small ambassadors and its senior officials. The effort was intended to mark the millennium celebrations of the organisation two years ago, to perhaps bring a breath of idealistic dreaming back into the hard-nosed pragmatism of the 21st century. The result is a breathtaking volume (sponsored by Infosys and CII) called Mille Fleurs (Million Flowers), with the poetry of each nation given in the original language along side its English translation.

Some diplomats haven’t been able to resist contributing their own poetry (Shashi Tharoor says he was asked to do so by Sharma, but under secretary-general Hans Corell has no such illusions), or that of their family (UAE ambassador Mohammed J. Samhan has offered one by his daughter Ohood). But mostly its a beautiful collection, Rainer Maria Rilke (‘The leaves are falling, falling from far away’) rubbing shoulders with Leopold Sedar Senghor (‘..I say New York, let black blood flow into your blood’), from Kazi Nazrul Islam (‘I sing the song of equality, in unison’) to Julos Beaucarne (‘I shall not have the time to read all the poems of the world’). At least the poets of the world seem to be in full flow.

Diplomatic direction

You must at least have a sense of humour to deal with India, especially if there’s a somewhat complex 400-year-old history to reckon with, and it looks like Gerry McCrudden’s doing just fine. He is the press officer in the British High Commission and he can laugh at himself too. It all adds up to full attendance at his parties, and so what if there’s a nicely souped-up rickshaw in the back lawns that lends itself to just a touch of self-deprecatory kitsch......‘Safed sahib goes to office in rick,’ you can just see the headline in some pulpy paper.

Still, Gerry’s clearly not content just doing his job. So he’s directing Oscar Wilde’s (who told US immigration when he landed in America a century ago, ‘‘ I have nothing to declare but my genius’’) hugely entertaining play The Importance of Being Earnest some time next month in the capital. But wait, here’s his casting coup: British High Commissioner Rob Young as Rev. Canon Chasuble, his wife Catherine Young as Lady Bracknell, Irish ambassador Philip McDonagh (a key figure in the Good Friday agreement between England and Ireland on Northern Ireland) as John Worthing, and British deputy high commissioner Tom McCaan as the manservant Lane. Over the next six weeks, they’re all at Gerry’s beck and call.

Old order...

It’s that time of the year again, when the old order changeth. Manbir Singh, perhaps the most widely photographed chief of protocol in recent times is moving to Hungary and taking his place is Pinak Chakravarty, currently deputy high commissioner to Bangladesh. Secretary (west) R S Kalha has retired, to be soon succeeded by Kanwal Sibal. So has Satish Chandra, heading the National Security Council Secretariat and at the receiving end of many a farewell party in recent weeks, but who is now going nowhere. He has been given a six month extension.

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