Nicolas Sarkozy visit: The height of protocol

A strange request from the external affairs ministry’s protocol office has stumped Delhi police and security agencies.

The ministry has asked the agencies to look for personnel within 24 hours who are of short stature for the security of visiting French president Nicolas Sarkozy here on Sunday.

A desperate hunt began after this last-minute request from the protocol division of the MEA.

Since the security agencies do not maintain record of its staff members’ heights, they were in a flap because at least half a dozen security personnel who are both highly efficient and no taller than 5 feet 4 inches had to be located forthwith.

This they found is not as easy as it sounds because most of the VVIP security personnel in the capital are tall, well-built men groomed for the job over a long period of time. They mostly hail from the Jat and Gurjar communities of neighbouring Haryana, Rajasthan and UP.

The protocol office went into overdrive after a tip-off from the French embassy that their president, who is 5 feet 5 inches, is sensitive about his height and may not like being surrounded by tall security personnel when he meets Indian leaders on Monday.

Another request that went out from the French embassy to the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary was to ensure that photo journalists do not trail Sarkozy in Agra as he wished to enjoy some private moments with his wife Carla Bruni at the Taj Mahal.

A directive was duly despatched to the authorities in Agra that there would be only one photo opportunity when the French president and his wife visit the Taj, and that also to only two lensmen, one Indian and one French.

Sarkozy, who began his India trip in Bangalore, flew into Delhi on Saturday and then left for Agra to enjoy the Taj Mahal in the moonlight.

This is something Carla Bruni had apparently looked forward to for months, to get a feel of the beautiful structure built by Mughal emperor Shah Jehan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Sarkozy returns to Delhi on Sunday and meets the prime minister and a host of other leaders only on Monday as he wants to keep Sunday also free for his family.