US India diplomatic row over Devyani Khobragade escalates

M

mk76

Adept
Reference
Taking hard stand on the matter, the govt takes anti-US steps; some of them are really unprecedented.

India and United States of America are now involved in a full blown diplomatic war over the public arrest, strip search and ill-treatment meted out to Deputy Consul General Devyani Khobragade by New York police on the charges of visa fraud. In an exceptionally strong stand, India is recalling all consulate personnel ID cards and made it clear that the law of strict reciprocity is in place. So if the US says that Devyani has limited immunity, a similar procedure will be applicable for US diplomats stationed in India.

India has also withdrawn all airport passes for consulates and embassy vehicles which mean they cannot get priority treatment and will have to park their vehicles as ordinary passengers after paying the fee. IN another stern step authorities have asked for all details including salaries paid to all Indian staff employed in US consulates, including those working as domestic help by the Americans families in India.

Reference
... Latest being removing barricades and traffic control from outside US Embassy in new Delhi.
 
An appropriate response at an inappropriate situation.

If they did it when then defense minister George Fernandez (or for Abdul Kalam, etc.) was strip searched, it was justified. Here, this lady who was supposed to be a 'Women Right Activist' was working against those same interests and conducted other crimes like illegal visa arrangements, etc.
 
Nationalist sentiments are too high, especially with elections just around the corner. The government is making a fuss out of nothing to show a face to all the hypocrite nationalists, who are more worried about a woman being arrested than the crime she did.

No one is talking about the actual discrimination, which is also pretty rampant in India.
 
She was strip searched by male US law enforcement. I read. No clue if its true or not.
 
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ayanavish said:
More news here: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cheat-s...e-s-arrest-intensifies-10-developments-459658

Vote bank politics is definitely playing its part in all these.
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This is interesting. Point 6, Yashwant Sinha says "The media has reported that we have issued visas to a number of US diplomats' companions. Companions means that they are of the same sex. Now, after the Supreme Court ruling (on gay sex verdict), it is completely illegal in our country. Just as paying fewer wage was illegal in the US. So, why doesn't the Government of India go ahead and arrest all of them! Put them behind bars, prosecute them in this country and punish them?".
 
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finally showing some strength. better late than never i guess. hope it continues. we've been treated as 'soft' for too long. thats why other countries think they can do what they want with us coz we never fight back
 
The homophobic reaction of an ex-foreign minister is doing wonders for India's image: http://www.buzzfeed.com/lesterfeder/arrest-and-punish-partners-of-gay-us-diplomats-says-indias-e

And, no talk about the maid who was abused as of yet. The GOI didn't respond this aggressively when USA sheltered the man responsible for the death thousands in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, nor when Indian fishermen were killed by Sri Lankan government for no reason. But a women commits visa fraud and is arrested, and all hell breaks loose.

Moreover, her fraud isn't limited to foreign soil. She was also involved in the Adarsh Housing Society Scam.
 
There's something called diplomatic immunity. Even if a diplomat does something wrong, the police in one country can't arrest that person because he is 'immune' from that country's laws. If they felt she was committing visa fraud, the NY police should have approached the Indian high commissioner's office instead of just arresting the woman. What the us police did was illegal and they should be sued for a lot of money.

If US diplomats do something wrong in other countries like India, the US govt is quick to back them saying they are US govt servants and should not be arrested.
USA is a bully country. They should be taught a good lesson. What the Indian govt did was justified. If USA thinks they can insult India and get away with it, they are wrong.
India should put more stern measures in place wrt US diplomats imo. Maybe arrest one or two of them on false charges and put them in jail.
 
^^ She doesn't have diplomatic immunity. She has consular immunity. That covers only alleged crimes committed while doing consular work. Look up the difference between them.

What the US government did was perfectly legal and justified. If she committed visa fraud, then she should absolutely be put in jail.
 
Read this:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomatic_immunity

m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/devyani-khobragade-has-diplomatic-immunity-says-her-attorney/articleshow/27566334.cms

She is a diplomat and has diplomatic immunity.
Go through the wiki link and see the evil deeds US staff have done and got away with. USA considers even car drivers to be their diplomats.
 
@6pack Except she doesn't have any diplomatic immunity. @manu1991 is right. I was in the same boat as you, until one of my friend, who also happens to be a lawyer, pointed out to me that I was wrong. Consular immunity only protects her from crimes she does while doing consular work. Anything outside of that is handled by US law.

Also, the US police has a legal department which gives directions to the police before making significant arrests such as these.

There were many times before the Indian government could've shown their aggressive side to the US, but choosing this one only puts India in bad light.[DOUBLEPOST=1387346546][/DOUBLEPOST]
6pack said:
Maybe arrest one or two of them on false charges and put them in jail.
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They already do that, but sadly, the ones arrested happen to be Indians.
 
Whatever the case is... If she is guilty or has done anything illegal she is still a official of the Indian Consulate and enjoys some privileges under the Vienna convention. So the NYPD should have been a little more humane and diplomatically intelligent when handling this case. A days delay would have not caused havoc in the states.
The public arrest(that too in front of her daughters school) and then later striping and treating like a convicted criminal was totally uncalled and wrong on the US Govt front.

India has done right by reacting as mentioned in first post of this thread and they should keep the US Consulate and embassy people under strict watch. I do not want to get into the legalities of her case of what was legal/illegal or right or wrong. I just feel that there is a much subtle and decent manner to handle this matter.

Someone pointed that Devyani is a part of the Adarsh scam. The thing is there is a another angle to look at this.
Her father was the commisioner of FDA in 2002-04 during which he took major action against leading US companies some of the cases are still running today. Biggest of them is the Johnson & Johnson case.
Other companies he took action against were Cadbury(remember plants sealed coz there were worms in cadbury bars), Pepsico/Coca Cola, Bislery.
So one can see this as a revenge by the US corporates. We all know that the US Govt is owned and run by Corporates.

Another thing is that min wages in US differ from area to area and so does the definition of min wage. Like some states consider other remuneration like medical & travel benefits as a part of min wage where as some dont.
So US should have used common sense before fingering India. Their arrogance will be the reason for their destruction.
I dont say dont punish the guilty but there is a procedure that has to be followed or they should be ready to receive a tit-for-tat reply.
We Indians are experts in finding smallest fault when it comes to vengeance :) We can screw them badly. They gay case would be the best to make USA the BUTT of every joke in the world :D
If India does that the islamic countries will come and kiss our PM to thank him :D
 
Just saw in the news that the US State department had notified the Indian government in September about her misdeeds and were waiting for clarifications.
 
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