SPECIAL ISSUE

November 11, 2000: Living in a glasshouse

Dear Readers;
Our Bollywood savvy Consul General of India in Chicago never misses an opportunity to recite his lackluster poems and hurts crude jokes on his audience by saying either swallow them or “go to washroom if they taste like bitter pills.” It is not always clear whether the Consul General tries to be witty or rub his “undiplomatic” jokes on other.
But this time thought it was not the poetry as the medium he chose, his lyrical comment on the workings of Air India lacks the self-search of his own establishment. Here we would like to remind him a dialogue from a Hindi film, because he understands the language of films better. If Surendra Kumar is an avid film-goer, we are sure, he had not missed the oft-repeated filmy dialogue-”Shishe ke gharon me rehne wale auron ke gharon pe patthar nahi phenkte.” But he did it; he did exactly what he was not expected of.
The point in reference is that according to a report published in a newspaper, the Consul General said, “Air India must come to the expectation of the passengers. Air India’s staff should be careful and not discourteous. After all Air India is a national carrier…. If you won’t treat people good, they will not travel by Air India in future.”
He was reacting to Air India’s fiasco at O’Hare international airport on October 22. but he does not know that he himself is living in a monumental “glasshouse,” yet dares to hurl stones on another glasshouse, Air India. The Consul General conveniently turns a blind eye to the happenings on his own office. He does not even know the bureaucratic high-handed attitude that exists in his own Chicago establishment. He probably does not know how discourteous and non-cooperative his staff members are when it comes to serving the needs of the Indian community.
The Honorable Consul General dose not know how many hassles one has to go through when one seeks a visa or a passport renewal. Has there been any record of the number of complaints his office receives everyday? Perhaps none, because it only reflects the astronomical sloth that pervades the office over which he presides. And maybe, the Consul General, with his extracurricular activities, has no time to know all about this. He has no time because he is busy hanging around the so-called Bollywood stars and musicians, partying with his cronies, and showering favors on them for his own personal gains and glory.
We like to sound a friendly advice, which is expected of us, to the Consul General. He should set his house right before he gives unsolicited advise to another equally bureaucratic and monopolistic national carrier. He should run classes in courtesy for his staff, before he asks Air India staff to be polite.
Except the elderly and lone women with babies in arms, others have a choice with regard to Air India. But in the case of the Indians living in the Midwest area have no choice. They have to come to the Indian consulate in Chicago for visa and passport related matters. By being the residents of the Midwest are these Indians have learnt to swallow the hardships heaped on them.
We wish to remind Surendra Kumar that he is an Indian diplomat — the position that he holds warrants him to keep the nation’s pride high and reflect its policies in this country. By attending a political fund-raising, he has crossed the limits of the consular duties. He may have his personal likes, dislikes and life, but he is in Chicago as a Consul General. His duties and responsibilities do not include interviewing people and publishing them on newspapers.
He should mend his ways and set his office in order. He should know his limits before he makes a remark or a comment about others. If he does not know his limitations, he should at least learn to keep silent. Diplomacy is a serious business; there is no place for meaningless blubbering. We hope the Consul General gets serious and attends to the serious diplomatic and consular works he is expected to perform. He should take his job seriously.

Sincerely,

Prashant Shah
Editor & Publisher