His Excellency Navtej Sarna, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, walked out of a book launch event attended by Vijay Mallya, the Indian business tycoon who has been declared a proclaimed offender by the Indian authorities.
The event was held on June 16 by the 100-ft Journey Club of the South Asia Centre at the London School of Economics to release “Mantras for Success: India’s Greatest CEOs Tell You How to Win” a book by author Suhel Seth and journalist Sunny Sen.
Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science, released the book. Mr. Sarna had been invited as part of a panel to discuss the book. Mr. Mallya was seen walking in and sitting at the back of the Old Theatre auditorium at the LSE with his daughter as soon as the evening function started.
One of the organisers of the event said, “Mr. Mallya was not invited by LSE or the High Commission – but he came just before the start and sat at the back with his daughter. The Indian High Commissioner left as soon as he saw him. “This was a public event, and was widely advertised on social media.”
Responding to criticism over Mr. Mallya's appearance at the event co-hosted by the Indian High Commission where Indian High Commissioner to the UK and a British Minister were present, the MEA clarified that Mr. Mallya was not an invitee.
MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup in a statement issued on Saturday said, “The list of invitations for the LSE event was determined by LSE. They have written to the High Commissioner that Mallya was not on their list. They have also said that the event was advertised widely through social media and attendees were not required to register in advance. When the High Commissioner spotted Mallya in the audience he left the stage and venue immediately after making his comments and without waiting for the interactive session.”
A High Commission spokesperson confirmed Mr. Mallya's attendance at the function and the High Commissioner's departure from the room upon seeing him in the audience. "The LSE has written to the High Commissioner that Mr. Mallya was not on their list and that the event was advertised widely through social media. Attendees were not required to register in advance." Neither was Mr. Mallya invited nor present at a subsequent reception at the High Commission, he added.
However, in a tweet Mallya said was not a "gate-crasher", suggesting that he was invited to the book launch event in London.
"Never gatecrashed in my life... I am not a gatecrasher and would never be one,"
The flamboyant businessman, who had walked in soon after the event started, tweeted, "I went for my friend - the author. Sat quietly with my daughter and listened. Headline news and unfounded speculation followed."
