Date:20/09/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/09/20/stories/2002092003210100.htm

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New role for Agnihotri?

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI Sept. 19. A new route has been found to extend diplomatic status to Bhishma Agnihotri, India's ambassador-at-large for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), via India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations at New York.

A green card holder and an office-bearer of the RSS-affiliated Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in the U.S., he had been denied diplomatic status by the U.S. Government which apparently felt that there could not be two ambassadors in one country. That the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is unhappy with him is an open secret. At a recent press briefing in New York, he was not `introduced' to reporters, but chose to step forward and speak on his own.

Under pressure from the Sangh lobby in the U.S., the Government has now decided that Mr. Agnihotri could be accredited through India's permanent mission. It is possible that he may be given the designation of "senior adviser'' or something similar. According to well-placed sources, this should not pose any problem as it was India's decision whom it wanted accredited.

At the New York press briefing, Mr. Agnihotri was asked about his status. He said the matter should be referred to the "Ministry of External Affairs''. He chose not to speak publicly about the problems he faced. The "Agnihotri issue'' also came up at the Prime Minister's press conference in New York. In response to a question about Mr. Agnihotri's status, Mr. Vajpayee asked the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, to respond. For his part, Mr. Sinha said that Mr. Agnihotri had a "sundar bhavishya'' (beautiful future), but did not go into any detail. Despite the optimism that has been expressed, the `future' of Mr. Agnihotri will be closely watched. He may have been `appointed', but still awaits "His Excellency'' status. Will that come his way soon?