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The undiplomatic service

History recognises a number of diplomats, who defied official orders, as heroes. During World War II, the Japanese consul in Lithuania, Chiune Sugihara, helped thousands of Jews to flee to safety and freedom. In another Schindler-like act, Aristedes de Sousa Mendes defied Salazar's orders not to issue visas to Germany's enemies, an act that saved the lives of numerous French Jews and ended his own career as a diplomat. How would history look upon the redoubtable Harish Dogra, until recently India's High Commissioner to New Zealand? The country's envoy had doggedly refused to heed the orders emanating from South Block. His steadfast and resolute behaviour had precious little to do with values and principles. The issue: New Delhi wanted His Excellency to return to India; Mr. Dogra preferred to remain in the salubrious environs of Wellington. This bizarre standoff — which stretched for a seemingly interminable month-and-a-half and which ended recently with the revocation of Mr. Dogra's diplomatic accreditation — is a major embarrassment for the External Affairs Ministry. Mr. Dogra had resisted the demand to come back home since March 1, had turned away a removal van sent to collect his belongings from his official residence, witnessed his supporters stage a rally for his cause outside the Indian High Commission, and — to cap it all — turned the heat on his boss, External Affairs Secretary Shyam Saran. Among the various accusations the former envoy levelled at a probably bewildered Mr. Saran were "impropriety", "contravening human rights" and demanding his recall for purely personal reasons.

April has been the cruellest month for the Indian Undiplomatic Service. Last week, the Central Bureau of Investigation grilled senior diplomat Rakesh Kumar, who faces charges of human trafficking. Kumar, who was divested of his charge as Special Secretary (Economic Relations), has been named in a First Information Report that relates to a case of human trafficking in Germany, in which nine members of a dance troupe went missing. (Adlai E. Stevenson once quipped that, "A diplomat's life is made up of three ingredients: protocol, Geritol and alcohol." Perhaps he should have added Interpol?) Earlier this month, the External Affairs Ministry took the unusual step of reprimanding the Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, C.M. Bhandari, for misconduct. The provocation: Mr. Bhandari converted a formal occasion into a personal, family related event. Add the recall of Aneil Matherani, Ambassador to Croatia, following his remarks on the Iraq oil-for-cash dealings — a matter that saw the exit of External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh — and you have a long and painful string of embarrassments. The Foreign Service, which represents India in international affairs, is the face we show to the world. Lately, there has been sufficient cause to hide it.

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