The Hindu : Cong. takes exception to PM attending Agnihotri's function

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 24, 2003

National

National

Cong. takes exception to PM attending Agnihotri's function

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 23. The Congress today took exception to the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, attending the public function organised by Bhishma K. Agnihotri, Ambassador-at-Large for Non-Resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin, stating that it undermined the position of India's career diplomats.

The Congress spokesperson, Anand Sharma, said the manner in which the Government got him accredited to India's Permanent Mission in the United Nations was by "abuse of its position in power.''

He said the Vajpayee Government had carried out this exercise by "circumventing the rules and procedures" of the U.S. State Department governing grant of diplomatic status.

"In the process, the Prime Minister and his Government became willing party to undermine the prestige and authority of both India's Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the United Nations. If that was not enough, the Prime Minister on a State visit choose to give the honour of hosting the reception to Dr. Agnihotri, and not to its official Ambassador who is accredited to the United States,'' he said.

Mr. Sharma also conveyed his protest for spending public money to put together a "gathering of individuals and organisations connected and identified with the BJP and RSS."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National