Agra: Vietnamese Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang was escorted by an unlicensed guide during his Taj Mahal visit in Agra on Sunday, in what is being seen as a major protocol and security breach by the Agra administration and the Defence Ministry.
The local authority has denied any involvement in assigning the guide to General Giang but this is not the first time a fiasco of this magnitude has happened in Agra.
On 19 November last year, US Naval Secretary Carlos Del Tora was escorted by Arshad, a hawker posing as a guide and carrying forged credentials. He was later apprehended and freed with a warning.
On Sunday, in addition to being escorted by an unauthorised guide, General Giang was given used shoe covers and had to wait for a long time to enter Taj Mahal due to security concerns.
The minister stayed inside the mausoleum for only 35 minutes before returning to New Delhi. It could have been the lukewarm reception or the Indian summer, observers said.
President of the Tourist Guides Welfare Association Deepak Dan told ThePrint that the guide Shakir Qureshi was not recognised by Uttar Pradesh Tourism or the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Shakir was not authorised to accompany foreign tourists, let alone international dignitaries, he said, adding it was beyond comprehension how the Agra administration and the ASI could have allowed this to happen.
Additional District Magistrate (Protocol) Himanshu Gautam told ThePrint that the administration’s standard procedure includes the appointment of an approved guide for VIPs visiting the Taj. He said in this case, the so-called guide came on the recommendation of the Defence Ministry, he said, adding the Agra administration’s engagement was limited to ensuring the guest’s safety.
Colonel Ashish Chopra of the Ministry of Defense said he had no clue who appointed the guide as he was only the liaison officer. He said the answer could only be found upon inquiring directly with the ministry.
The UP Tourism department and the ASI have only 400 approved guides at the Taj Mahal, but on any given day, as many as 1,000 “guides” can be seen at the historic site.
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