“Return of the Memons: A Pyrrhic Victory” continues…

Rao, after long confabulations with his advisors during which I was not allowed to speak, decided to call up Salman Haider, Special Secretary in the MEA and inform him that the operation was called off and he (Haider) should instruct his Consulate General in Dubai to give shelter to the Memons in the Consulate, arrange to give them Emergency Passports and organize their travel to Delhi.

Mr. Haider was irked and dismissed the proposal outright. He said angrily: ‘One moment you guys ask us to give the Memons Indian visas on Pakistani passports urgently and the next moment you want us to give them boarding and lodging facilities in the mission. Our Consulate is not geared up for such contingencies. I am sorry I can’t help you.’

The bosses looked at each other not knowing how to respond. At that point of time I decided to speak my mind out. Addressing the Director, I said: ‘Sir, I don’t understand why this panic has set in. Nothing has happened which would embarrass the Government or us. We are only trying to get our own citizens back, and, that too, not forcibly. They are absconders and ours is an attempt to bring them to book. I should be left alone and allowed to handle the situation.’ Finding no other option, they decided to disperse and sleep over the problem. The parting jibe at me from one of the Director’s worthy advisors was: ‘Well! Had this operation succeeded, it would have been the greatest achievement ever of the CBI. But, alas, that was not to be.’

I returned home rather vexed and disappointed. I had come so close to success and yet had not quite made it. But, I was determined not to give up and let the opportunity slip by in a hurry. It is perhaps not an uncommon occurrence that when one sleeps over a problem, the solution sometimes comes in a flash the next morning.

To be continued…