|
|
|
|
Code Red... And The Blue Book |
||
|
 |
Jaal wonders what avail was the Blue Book, the Bible of security chiefs, at this juncture!  Jaal recalls another equally interesting incident which took place in Chennai (called Madras then) when a very powerful VVIP visited the city in early '80s to participate at a public function to distribute loans and implements to some beneficiaries. The venue and arrangements were finalised in consultation with a highly venerated guru who could not be expected to understand the special needs of the blue book. While the guru treated the police and security officials with politeness and candour he had his own way on many things to the utter dismay of Scotland Yard and CIA trained officers!The venue was ready with the mandatory perimeter separating spectators from the VVIP who would be on a high rise dais and everyone was checked and screened. Just a few minutes before the arrival of the VVIP, the guru asked the beneficiaries to occupy the perimeter and the implements to be handed over to them - all unopened and untested - were taken directly to the dais! Did the jaws of the security chaps drop! Their faces showed all hues red, blue, green, amber, etc.! When the function was midway, a publisher thought it would be a good idea if the VVIP released a book on the guru's most venerated senior guru and the publisher had only to whisper a few words into the ears of the guru and pat came an order to the master of ceremonies to announce that the VVIP would release the book! The senior officers accompanying the VVIP had had no occasion even to see a copy of the book - in fact there was only one copy that the publisher had brought ! - well, they had to satisfy themselves that this gesture would not land the VVIP and the government into any avoidable embarrassment nationally or internationally……..Yet the VVIP did release the book without any further ado………..Now it was the turn of the officers to turn red, green, blue, amber, etc.! This author recalls a day in New Delhi when he was emerging out of the South Block he was asked, of course politely, by a security officer to turn and look at the red brick building and keep looking at it till the then Prime Minister whizzed past in his jonga vehicle at a clip of more than a hundred kilometers speed! It seems the Blue Book is being followed occasionally! RECENTLY ON JAAL: Sucking Up To Musharraf The Tamasha In Tamil Nadu The Agra Assignment Going Ape Over Kashmir Bad Dream Factory Ballot Boxing Borderline Patriotism Bill Clinton's Hidden Agenda The Tapes: Replay The Naked Truth About Sinha's Dream Budget Give Us This Day Our Daily Disaster A Dip Into The Kumbh Hype Hype Hurray The A 2 Z Of Y2K What's Behind Bush? The Florida Ceasefire The Damn Dam Controversy A Weak-Kneed Operation Faster, Higher, Stranger You Have The Right To Be A Volunteer The ICE ICE Baby A Tale Of The Jungle King The Secret Autonomy Report Report When Batsman Became Betsman India's Human Genome Projectile Stone Age Flaws In ICE Age Laws A Dry Spell For Policy Planning Lara's Theme Dotcom Bubble Gum: Burst Or Bust Inside A VIP Cell A To Do About Dos A Dress Code For Klintonji Al Faridi Gnuman writes fiction and is also a journalist though the difference is difficult to perceive. SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT THIS ARTICLE:
|
| | About Us | Archives | Help | E-mail | Advertise | Legal Crap | Webmaster | | |
| Copyright © 1998-2001 Jaal™ | nEtAhOy ! |
