Sniffer dogs, Bush, Gandhi and Varanasi

A minor diplomatic row is brewing between India and the US and it is caused by sniffer dogs flown in to accompany President Bush's state visit last week.

And at least one Indian MP is asking for a US apology.

The cause for this storm (in a tea-cup) - the sniffer dogs had defiled the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian independence leader.

Prior to Bush's visit to the memorial, the sniffer dogs were used to scour the area. And this has displeased many, including priests and politicians, in India.

Hindu priests had to conduct a purification ceremony at the shrine after Bush's visit. The memorial was cleansed with water brought from the Ganges, which Hindus consider holy.

The site, where Gandhi was cremated, is considered sacred and all visitors must remove their shoes before entering, including Bush and his wife, Laura.

Letting dogs into the memorial also drew sharp protests from Hindu politicians, along with Tushar Gandhi, the Indian leader’s great grandson, who called the incident a “national shame”.

Another politician, Shailendra Yadav of the Socialist People's Party, said:

"The holy shrine (of Gandhi) was defiled. The government should seek an apology
from the US over this."

It makes a funny read but the extra precaution undertaken by the Americans comes into context when seen in tandem with the bomb blasts that killed at least 12 people in India's holiest and pilgrimage city of Varanasi today.

Reuters report no group had claimed responsibility for the blasts. Officials said it was too early to pin blame. But most previous attacks on Hindu temples in India have been blamed on Islamic militants.

Now you understand the reasons for the sniffer dogs? This could have happened during Bush's visit to Gandhi's memorial.

my other blog