By Tariq Rizwan
The arrest of Indian diplomat, Devyani Khobragade on Dec. 12 has
exposed the problems, faced by civil society in India. She worked as a consular
official in New York City and was charged with perjury and visa fraud. The
offenses pertained to documentation that she had signed attesting to the terms
of employment for a housekeeper whom she’d had brought from India.
Her arrest in New York City has triggered a diplomatic row between
the United States and India, threatening to damage the very edifice of
bilateral relations and rapprochement between the two. The cause of the row is
relatively trivial, but it has assumed monstrous proportions as a result of the
emotions invested in the dispute.
She was accused of knowingly inflating the amount of money she
would pay the domestic and understating the number of hours the housekeeper
would work. The real terms of employment violated local laws.
Khobragade was arrested after dropping her children off at
school. She was handcuffed, taken to a detention facility, strip-searched and
subjected to a DNA swab. While she complained that the treatment was
humiliating, U.S. officials countered that all procedures were carried out
according to law and for her own safety. Moreover, they say that Khobragade was
even afforded special treatment and allowed to make phone calls to sort out
personal matters.
Though the arrest triggered uproar in India, yet it is not the
first event of its nature. Indians continued to commit such fouls at their will
in the past as well. In 2010, Indian maid Shanti Gurung filed a case against
the then Indian Consul General of New YorkConsulate Dr Neena Malhotras and her
husband Mr Jogesh regarding ill treatment. The case was decided in favour of
the maid who was awarded $ 1.5 million, however money has never been paid either
by Malhotra nor by Indian government.
Again in 2011,
another maid filed a case against Indian Consular General in New York Prabhu
Dayal who was accused of several charges like forced labour, less pay and
misconduct. The case was, however settled out of court between the parties to
avoid embarrassment to Indians in US.
A Sikh group
has also filed a case in New York against Sonia Gandhi and others for
involvement in 1984 ANTI Sikh riots. Sonia has been given time till Jan 2014 to
respond. The Federal Court has also given ruling against Indian UN Mission in
New York in 2008 to pay $ 42.4 million on the charges of using its office for
residential purposes.
Instead of correcting its ugly tactics of using diplomatic
immunity for individual benefits, the Delhi government responded angrily by
curtailing privileges afforded to U.S. diplomats in India, removing security
barricades in front of the U.S. embassy and snubbing a visiting of U.S.
Congressional delegation. Delhi is also checking the tax status of Americans working
at schools in the country and has ordered the U.S. embassy to stop “commercial
activities on its premises.” Indian media is also reporting that U.S. Embassy
cars could be penalized for traffic violations, and there have been protests
outside U.S. consulates across the country.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry expressed “regret” over the
incident but did not apologize for the arrest. Nor did he attempt to stop the
legal proceedings — which he could not do in any case since they were pursued
by the U.S. attorney in New York City. Delhi expelled a U.S. diplomat in turn,
the standard diplomatic response to such incidents, regardless of cause.
India tried to end the controversy by transferring Khobragade to
the United Nations, where she would enjoy full immunity, but the State
Department has noted that immunity would not be retroactive. As tensions mounted,
the Indian government finally decided to withdraw Khobragade (who is married to
a U.S. national). Instead of condemning the ill tactics, at least abroad, she
has been given a hero’s welcome in India.
1 OF 3. Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade gives the ''namaste'' gesture
of greeting next to her father Uttam Khobragade (R) upon her arrival at
Maharashtra Sadan state guesthouse in New Delhi January 10, 2014. T
CREDIT: REUTERS/STRINGER
India has to improve her image in the region and mend rifts
with her neighbors for fulfilling the desire of becoming a world power the way
China and Russia are doing with no harm and interference for all, else a big
democracy may become a large and uncontrolled crowd of uncivilized people.
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