In the aftermath of the current euphoria and unbridled optimism generated from the highly successful recent State visit conducted by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to India in connection with the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, it is very traumatising to hear the High Commissioner of India to T&T, Malay Mishra, using an occasion to promote his mission's Hindi language programme in T&T, to unleash unwarranted and undiplomatic criticisms of her alleged inability to connect with the people of her ancestral village of Bhelupur because she spoke in English—the official language of T&T.

The adulation that the PM received from the Government and people of India, the Indian media and the 100,000 people of Bhelupur in particular does not substantiate this diplomatic indiscretion.

The High Commissioner proceeded further to condemn local Indian artistes for singing Hindi songs/bhajans the lyrical meaning of which most did not understand.

The conclusion to be drawn is that these artistes must stop singing until they learn Hindi. He fails to realise that it is the vibrations emanating from these songs such as the Om sound that connect us.

The lack of appreciation of some of the lyrics does not reduce our total enjoyment. Further, the Hindi Nidhi has been doing a lot of work in Hindi language skills development.

The effect of his statement is to cast an unnecessary damper on and to diminish the PM's outstanding performance that warmed and seduced the hearts of many Indians, including the Indian media and diaspora, by the envoy's own confession and admission.

No foreign envoy should arrogate unto himself the audacity to embarrass and criticise the sitting Prime Minister of the host State, especially when it involves her stewardship during the just concluded official visit to the envoy's sending State of India. That is crossing the border of diplomatic good sense, discretion and sound judgment—hallmarks of a true diplomat.

It would appear to me that Mishra may not have recovered adequately from personally witnessing and facilitating the sheer intensity of the taxing visit as well as from the disorienting effects of the jet lag on his return to his posting.

That statement constitutes compelling grounds for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to summon Mishra to bring to his attention that he has brought the stewardship of his PM on an overseas assignment without good reason into odium and disrepute—that he should apologise and be informed that an appropriate complaint will be dispatched to New Delhi.

This is no storm in a tea-cup.

Stephen Kangal

Caroni