Wednesday, April 30, 2008

The Congress and UPA Choice: National Embarrassment

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Presidents_son_defies_protocol/articleshow/2998067.cms
In a serious breach of protocol, President Pratibha Patil's son Rajendra Singh Shekhawat, who accompanied his mother on her recent trip to Latin America, disappeared for a day on April 17 to conduct personal business in the US, keeping his Mexican hosts in the dark. Shekhawat was missing from the banquet hosted by Mexican President Felipe Calderon at Castilo de Chapultepec, where a seat was reserved for him.

The lapse was casually explained away as Shekhawat having gone to Florida to visit the university. The MEA also vaguely mentioned his having borne the expense of his journey from Mexico to Florida. As if that was an acceptable enough reason for treating a presidential invitation in the host country with such abandon. In any case, Shekhawat’s name would have been included in the seating plan at the banquet after an acceptance of the invitation by him.

During the same three nations tour of South America, there were reports of the President having walked passed the host country’s national flag without paying the customary compliment. Is it any wonder then that the presence at her address in the host country’s Parliament was inadequate?

Why can’t political parties accept a person of proven merit, like N. R. Narayana Murthy, Kiran Bedi and many more, for the highest office of the country? It is as if they are determined to soil the prestige of the office of the Indian President just to promote their respective party interests. The incident once again confirms that party interests are above national interests for our calculating politicians.

India can thank the Congress and its UPA partners for the national embarrassment.

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