Ambassador Rajan's Jogbani, visit recollected

This write up would not have appeared in these columns had I not been reminded of the happy event that had happened some years ago by a professional colleague, Mr. Subedi, editor of Biswa Deep weekly, who was told recently by Ambassador Rajan of this event in Delhi. In the larger interest of the readers, I wish to recollect the events that had happened then. However, I must thank former Ambassador Rajan that he still remembers this small but very significant episode in Nepal's relations with India-Upadhyaya

The event as follows:

It should have been in the year 1998/1999 that we at the Nepal-SAARC Journalists Forum had arranged a working visit of the then Indian Ambassador, Krishna Venkatesh Rajan to Biratnagar.

The invitation to the Indian diplomat had been extended by Biratnagar based Press Club and was supported by B.P.Koirala Nepal-India Foundation.

The fact is that the first ever Nepal-India border journalist' meet was arranged at the Eastern Star Hotel in Biratnagar which was to be inaugurated by Ambassador Rajan.

After the successful completion of the border journalists seminar, the friends belonging to the other side of the border pleaded me, the Chairman of the SAARC Journalists Forum, that if I requested the Ambassador he wouldn't deny and that they wished to see their own high-placed diplomat in Jogbani-the bordering town of Biratnagar. A very descent proposal indeed as it was, I too could not resist my temptation and thus tried to convince the Ambassador. After looking at all the diplomatic nitty-gritty's involved in the trip to the other side, Ambassador Rajan heeded to the request and the time was set for his visit.

It should have been the next day of the seminar that we were to visit Jogbani with Ambassador Rajan. Thanks the media men of the other side that a contingent of para-military forces were sent to Jogbani for the security of Nepal based Indian diplomat in no time. Likewise, the Nepali authorities too were informed about this event.

Diplomatic protocol demanded that Ambassador Rajan informed Nepal's foreign ministry about his crossing the border. However, he brushed aside this protocol for reasons best known to him only. Nevertheless, through my own channels, I managed to pass on this information to our ministry and assured the ministry that Ambassador will be taken full care of.

The caravan proceeded at five in the evening with thirteen cars in series. Rajan's car was in the middle of the caravan of the motorcade. I was with Ambassador Rajan in his flag fluttering car. The Nepali security officials had managed one security personnel for the diplomat who was also in the same car.

After a few minutes of our departure, the security guard whispered in my ears that the car be stopped close to Rani police check-post. The post arrived and the guard rushed towards the police post. Upon his return, he politely admitted that since he was a policeman, it would not be nice to cross the border with pistols. This would be a violation of the laws of the land of friendly India. Ambassador Rajan was taken aback listening to the security guard's admission and he had all the praise for him.

The caravan crossed the border and came the Indian customs. A sea of Indian national greeted him at the customs office and around. Ambassador was puzzled to see the unmanageable crowd. He listened to the complaints of the Indian custom officials and assured that he would take up the matter with nepali authorities.

Then the car proceeded towards one school, about a mile ahead of the border, where Ambassador was to be formally greeted by the citizens of the town. Surprising though it may appear, the fact is that for all along the entire one mile, military men in full force armed with lethal weapons were lined up. The ambassadorial car moved towards the school with full honor. Madama Rajan too enjoyed his husband's honor in her own country.

At the school, the citizens greeted their own citizen who was Ambassador in Nepal and spoke of their grievances such as of the pitiable conditions of their roads, law and order and above all of the prevailing criminalization of the politics of Bihar.

The Ambassador knew that he could do little for them being in Kathmandu but then yet managed a few words of consolation for his compatriots.

Thus the trip of Ambassador Rajan to his own bordering town concluded. However, for us at the SAARC-Journalists forum and the Press Club the entire event looked like a drama staged in dream.

The NSJF did it. A Kathmandu based Indian diplomat was made to visit his own country wherein he received a treatment that was at par with his own country's chief minister's visit.

Thanks Ambassador Rajan that you still remember us at the NSJF in Kathmandu.

Headline | Opinion | Dateline | National |  5 Question  | Editorial | Letter | Views | International | Tête-à-tête with Amandine | Past