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Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi
The opposition on Thursday staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha when Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan aggressively defended the appointment of non-resident Indian Bhishma Kumar Agnihotri as "ambassador-at- large" in Washington.
Agnihotri is a law professor and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh sarsanghchalak in the US. He is the member of the group, the Overseas Friends of the BJP.
Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Somnath Chatterji raised the issue during zero hour and demanded to know why a functionary of a political party was appointed ambassador-at-large in the US.
"What will be his relations with the recently-appointed ambassador (Lalit Mansingh)? On what consideration has the government appointed him? What is the justification of such an unusual appointment? How was this gentleman selected? Does he have any special qualifications?" Chatterji asked.
Chatterji then said that the appointment must be stopped because it is illegal.
Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav also stood up and supported Chatterji.
Yadav said, "In India, on issues like Kargil and diplomatic matters we have always supported the government. We are presenting one face to the outside world. The government should not hurt the sentiments of the opposition by such diplomatic appointments."
Yadav wanted to know why Agnihotri, who is inexperienced in such matters, was appointed.
He also said that this is the first time such an appointment has been challenged in Parliament.
The opposition also wanted to know why Parliament was not informed.
The Congress too was not far behind. Party leader Madhavrao Scindia asked how the secular-minded Indian diaspora could be represented by a man with communal biases.
He also warned that Agnihotri's appointment would weaken Mansingh's position.
Mahajan was asked to respond on the issue by Chatterji and Yadav. Initially he refused, but when Chatterji, Yadav and Scindia insisted, Mahajan said, "The appointment is well within the law. It's a political appointment. Is it a crime to be a member of the RSS? The prime minister, the home minister and even myself are members of the RSS."
"I know Agnihotri well. While living in America he is rendering service to India. I don't see any illegality in his appointment. The decision will not be changed."
On hearing this the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Leftists walked out in protest.
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