Diplomats and Dissent: The case of Sir Dadiba Dalal
Sir Dadiba and Lady Dalal Akhilesh Mishra, the Indian ambassador to Ireland, wrote a letter to Irish Times in response to an editorial. Nothing unusual. Diplomats routinely write rejoinders, letters, comment pieces in the media to point out inaccuracies or to put forth the views of the government in power. What is highly unusual and unbecoming of a serving diplomat is to criticise opposition parties. And that is what Akhilesh Mishra did. High commissioners, ambassadors and senior diplomats are supposed to publicise the working of the ruling dispensation, but that shouldn't take the form of bashing the opposition. In a sharp piece V ir Sanghvi reflects on the bigger message that emerges from Mishra's conduct. In my research on colonial Bombay's merchants and industrialists, I came across Sir Dadiba Merwanjee Dalal. In the current time he is clearly not the most famous Parsi with the surname Dalal. That tag would easily go to someone like Sir Ardeshir Dalal, an ICS officer,
