NEW EMBASSY IN DELHI

 

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

17/V/2025

 

I had just finished schooling and was through to NDA. I was to join the summer course once the formalities were done. One had to visit Delhi for ‘NDA medicals’ 1981.

 

An uncle used to stay in an extremely stinky place called Raigarpura, Karol Bagh. From there to Base hospital meant changing two buses. I still remember the routes. A ‘double decker’ on route 88 to Central Secretariat. Then 560/570 to Kirby Place near ‘Base Hospital’.

 

The 560 route always fascinated me as it ran along a well-maintained road which passed many Embassies. One of them bugged me no end as I was about to join a career which meant fighting that country. It was the Pakistan Embassy.

 

The surroundings were covered with dense tree cover. A prominent green gate and some blue domes like that over Masjids used to be visible from my bus window seat. It looked more like a religious place. I used to conjecture that all sinister activities were going on inside.

 

It was a mystery to me why India maintained any diplomatic relations with Pak. Those days, if we fought with friends, we would boycott his home, not allow him to be on our team and do ‘Katti’. Here we had a country which fought wars with us. The word Pakistan sounded so Napaak.

 

Sometimes black cars with CD number plates, (Corps Diplomatique) would come out of that embassy gate. It would have a Pakistani flag fluttering at times. How could they fly their country flags in India, which used to bother me? They should fly the Indian flag instead. Childish thoughts.

 

Those days we used to get a ‘jantri’, booklet, with lots of information about Delhi and GK, sold for Rs 2 by hawkers in buses. It carried some information about the number of embassies and their addresses. In my heart of hearts, I wanted this particular one to be removed.

 

They had caused too much pain and suffering to us. I had no idea of the procedures as to how diplomacy worked. But the negative feeling was very strong inside.

 

Having seen the “Beating the Retreat” ceremony a number of times at Attari-Wagah border, the Paki flag was not unfamiliar. I totally disliked the gesture when our BSF person would go and shake hands with the Pakistani Ranger. Why do we show courtesies to enemies when they keep going to war?

 

My first posting happened to be in the Jaisalmer sector. The same flag would flutter on their posts across the border. There was no fence then but armed Paki rangers would accompany our patrols mounted on camels. Some would sit on towers to keep a watch. One always made mental plans to capture their posts.

 

Rangers would allow Arab Sheikhs in swanky SUVs for Shikar of the “Great Indian Bustard” which dotted the countryside those days. Swarms of “Sand groves” used to be wiped out. After the fence came up and those poor creatures got some respite.

 

I learnt that the land for embassies is given on lease. It is time to cancel Pakistan’s, as there are good enough reasons in the present circumstances. Why have them when we have hotlines between the DGMOs. With modern means of communications available, why do we need their staff when movement and trade has been stopped. There are more than 35 countries which do not have embassies in India, one less will make no difference.

 

Shouldn’t we evict them? If yes, then how soon. How do we utilise that space thereafter? I have a suggestion. Let us recognise Baluchistan and hand them that space which has been occupied by this enemy nation. They do not deserve to stay here.

 

Half the spying activities are done from there. They meet their sources and informants besides doing their funding through the diplomatic channels. Sitting in safe silos, they stay in India and conspire against India. This needs to be stopped right away.

 

What will happen if we kick them out completely? Nothing. I have a request to the NSA saab. Sir, get into action and split that country into two if not more. Baluchistan now needs our support and diplomatic space. Let Pakistan swallow a bitter pill and keep fighting at that front also. Let us set the record straight with Pak and see to it that they stop sending terrorists or aiming their guns at us.

 

If we could create Bangladesh and speak to the Taliban in Afghanistan, why can’t we do the same with the Baluch people. Time is ripe. It is high time we mess them up nice and proper. They ruined our Jannat; it is time to snatch their “Mathe ka Jhoomer”.

 

Is it possible to establish a Baluchi embassy by removing the Paki one? I wonder!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

©® NOEL ELLIS