Surely you’re joking, Mr Mukherjee! (Beijing’s thanks edition)

China called in the Indian ambassador to say thank you…at 2 am

Replying to a question in parliament, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee stated that that business of the Chinese government waking up Ms Nirupama Rao at an ungodly hour was to express its “appreciation at the prompt action taken by the (Indian) government” in apprehending Tibetan protestors who had tried to enter the Chinese embassy in New Delhi.

Diplomats lie for their country in foreign capitals. Mr Mukherjee lies for another country in his own capital. No amount of concern for maintaining good relations with China demands this kind of cravenness.

8 thoughts on “Surely you’re joking, Mr Mukherjee! (Beijing’s thanks edition)”

  2. ” No amount of concern for maintaining good relations with China demands this kind of cravenness.”

    So true! And then you have the unprecendented security on Rajpath yesterday during the Olympic torch relay. The poor torchbearers only had the tv cameras, some school-children and the security forces for company. I wonder if they felt silly waving to empty stands.

    Now the MoE is patting itself on the back for the “safe” passage of the Olympic torch through India. But at what cost?

  3. They can’t protect peoples’ lives, but spend millions to protect a torch.

    With this pitiful ‘government’ in power, we might all as well send flying kisses to Hu Jintao’s butt. That’s one persuasive leader at least.

  4. “Diplomats lie for their country in foreign capitals. Mr Mukherjee lies for another country in his own capital.”

    “With this pitiful ‘government’ in power, we might all as well send flying kisses to Hu Jintao’s butt.”

    Yes and yes! These goddamn neo-Nehruvians haven’t learnt anything from history. Nehru adopted the strategy of being very firm with Pakistan on the one hand and appeasing China on the other. This did not work. India is making the same mistake again!

    We are whoring ourselves to the Chinese for some hypothetical grand Asian alliance. India might think that there is enough strategic space for both China and herself, the Chinese clearly don’t.

  5. Diplomats lie for their country in foreign capitals. Mr Mukherjee lies for another country in his own capital.

    That’s being unfair on Mukherjee. This has always been the standard operating procedure of all diplomats belonging to the MEA since Nehru’s time. That is what Panchsheel was all about.

    The only way to get out of this rut is to reconstitute India’s foreign ministry from the ground up.but then that is asking from the moon in the current environment.

  6. At this rate, if the Chinese ever invade India in the future, Mr. Mukherjee will deny that such a thing has happened till the whole of Arunachal Pradesh is lost. I hope this Kangreesi Government is kicked out in the next general elections.

  7. Then I wonder why we never returned the courtesy by briefing the Chinese ambassador in Delhi about the security arrangements for the flame at the dead of the night. Just to lay to rest any remaining doubts in the minds of our Chinese friends, of course 😉

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