India-US Strategic News and Discussion

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Dec 2013 02:24

TSJ. She will eventually. She handled her indignities with grace and showed her mettle.

The whole case if you follow the episode was sheer case of entrapment by US govt elements.
And the arrest under criminal statutes was to teach a lesson.
No doubt about that not withstanding Kerry is non-regrets.

munna · Post by **munna** » 19 Dec 2013 02:33

TSJones wrote:I don't know what was going on in the diplomat's mind when she was fighting this, but now, her name is mud diplomatically. No US diplo will seriously deal with her unless she controls India's nuclear forces. Was it worth all of this? Good grief!

Actually, the US should introspect whether creation of a mini-me of Russia out of a hitherto docile India was all that important? Is US feeling happy with antagonizing India to such an extent?

Forget about DK being taken seriously or not, at this rate no US diplo will have any worthwhile stand in all of Asia barring peripheries. Russia, China and India all driven in one corner, over what? It is time for some serious introspection for US establishment.

Kanwal Sibbal the former Foreign Secretary demanded an in-absentia trial of the entire chain of command that arrested Devyani on charges of abduction, custodial torture and outraging the modesty of a woman. Although ineffective for now, 15-25 years from now many individuals may find global traveling a wee bit more troublesome due to their convictions.

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 19 Dec 2013 02:33

TSJ, go back a few pages and watch those links from NDTV I posted. Ex ambassadors have stated this is not a singular instance as it is made out to be. It was part of an unstated agreement/practice extended to the diplomats for similar or other arrangements for their counter parts in India, keeping in mind the salary differentials between regular immigrant folks who come to work here and diplomatic staff.

I wonder if someone who comes from India as a help can live off minimum wages even in NY (with no boarding & lodging and Air travel). As for violations it is a regular feature within US. Grad students are paid for 20hrs/week on paper, but usually have to work at times 40hrs and more per week. Lots of Univs should be in trouble by that yardstick.

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 19 Dec 2013 02:37

Who knows, she might rise to the top, or handle the entire US section later on. IFS officers are not like the political appointees in US state dept. They form the main skeleton of the Indian foreign ministry. And many of the IFS officers are pissed at US for what they did to Devyani. If required, they can make pretty difficult for US diplomats here too. Hope the IFS officers remember this incident for a long time! revenge is best served cold!

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 19 Dec 2013 02:38

munna wrote:
TSJones wrote:I don't know what was going on in the diplomat's mind when she was fighting this, but now, her name is mud diplomatically. No US diplo will seriously deal with her unless she controls India's nuclear forces. Was it worth all of this? Good grief!
Actually, the US should introspect whether creation of a mini-me of Russia out of a hitherto docile India was all that important? Is US feeling happy with antagonizing India to such an extent?

Forget about DK being taken seriously or not, at this rate no US diplo will have any worthwhile stand in all of Asia barring peripheries. Russia, China and India all driven in one corner, over what? It is time for some serious introspection for US establishment.

Kanwal Sibbal the former Foreign Secretary demanded an in-absentia trial of the entire chain of command that arrested Devyani on charges of abduction, custodial torture and outraging the modesty of a woman. Although ineffective for now, 15-25 years from now many individuals may find global traveling a wee bit more troublesome due to their convictions.PS: DK being from SC community, provisions of Atrocities Against Scheduled Castes Act may be invoked, it requires only a victim testimony for conviction.

Dude, do you know how powerful India's tourist industry is? They are some supremely well connected folks. You don't realize who you are potentially threatening. Think this through.

There is not going to be any satsifactory ending to this. No more from me on this topic.

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 19 Dec 2013 02:39

John Kerry calls Shivshankar Menon to express regret about Devyani's treatment; defends US laws

...
However, the US administration made it clear that it stands by the reasons behind the arrest, and the regrets expressed was only in relation to the treatment. "The secretary understands very deeply the importance of enforcing our laws and protecting victims, and, like all officials in positions of responsibility inside the US. government, expects that laws will be followed by everyone here in our country. It is also particularly important to secretary Kerry that foreign diplomats serving in the United States are accorded respect and dignity just as we expect our own diplomats should receive overseas, " the statement said.

Meanwhile, the beleaguered Indian foreign service official was transferred on Wednesday to India's UN mission in New York to allow her full diplomatic immunity as both New Delhi and Washington moved to cover legal bases and arrive at a creative solution in a full-blown spat that has become increasingly messy and complicated.

The move is aimed at giving the mid-level official, who was attached to the Indian consulate in New York and enjoyed limited immunity therein, complete protection from prosecution. However, for that to happen, Khobragade will have to be issued new credentials by the United Nations, a process where the US state department has a nominal role.

If Washington is bloody-minded and insistent on prosecuting Khobragade for her alleged infractions, it could put a spanner in the works. However, New Delhi is hoping that this "creative opening" that has been conceived to protect the diplomat will be honored by Washington so that she is spared further travails in an incident arising from episodic and spotty US implementation of its laws and India's dodgy acceptance of it.
...

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 19 Dec 2013 02:41

Oh dont go into the details. There lie monsters. Lets skim on the surface.
Domestic servant, rupee & paise change , fair US cops.

What is definately not CT though is invoking Islamic principles of Jazziya to save the skin ( or should I say foreskin):rotfl:

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Dec 2013 02:41

Also Indian media is not willing to go full bore on the issue as they fear the GOI under MMS and SSM type babus will backtrack and they will be left holding the bag.

Apparently Kerry told more things to SSMji about ensuring security and following Vienna Conventions which the US observes in breach!!!
So more a threat than an expression of regret as is being made out.
If the US can spirit away a maid's family they can also make life miserable fo rall those babu's progeny singing advise to India while living in US.

So it may die down and all those daru-sharu permits will be reinstated with a few extra things thrown in!!!

vasu raya · Post by **vasu raya** » 19 Dec 2013 02:42

so what happened to the request for Mr H's extradition?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Dec 2013 02:43

It was answered with the DK arrest.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 19 Dec 2013 02:44

Rudradev wrote:I'm not saying she's corrupt. I'm saying that even if she WERE corrupt, ...

Rudradev, yes I understood what you were getting at but wanted to clarify lest it is misconstrued on a quick scan.

member_22872 · Post by **member_22872** » 19 Dec 2013 02:45

Devyani Khobragade row: Time we returned the insult to US liberally

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 19 Dec 2013 02:45

'Kerry was aware of Khobragarde's arrest'

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who today expressed regret over the arrest and strip- search of Devyani Khobragade, was aware of the senior Indian diplomat's arrest.
Washington, Dec 18, 2013 (PTI)

Khobragade, the 39-year-old Deputy Indian Consul General, was subjected to a humiliating strip search, was swabbed for DNA and was kept in a cell with drug addicts after her arrest in New York last week for alleged visa fraud.

"He (Kerry) was certainly aware, yes, absolutely. He's been kept up to speed on this case," the State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters soon after informing them that Kerry spoke over telephone to the National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon.
"He (Kerry) certainly expressed regret about what happened with this case writ large, sort of how this has all played out," she said.

"I think part of it, of course, was focused on the fact that we don't believe that there should be steps taken in Delhi or elsewhere in India by the government to prohibit us from doing our work, to put restrictions on our work, some of the things we've talked about with the demarches.

"It was really about the whole situation, honestly, and focused on how we move forward," Harf said, giving a description of the telephonic call between the two leaders.

Harf said Kerry understands very deeply the importance of enforcing US laws and protecting victims and, like all officials in positions of responsibility inside the US government, expects that laws will be followed by everyone here in the US.

Besides Kerry, the Under Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs Windy Sherman spoke with the Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh on the developments following the arrest of the Indian diplomat.

There was no explanation given as to why Kerry did not call his Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid, the External Affairs Minister.

Harf described this as a "positive" conversation. "He expressed regret with what happened. As a father of two daughters about the same age, he empathises with the sensitivity, certainly. I'm not going to further parse what he said in a private conversation, but needless to say, it was a positive conversation and we're focused on moving the relationship forward," she said.

Harf said the US do not want the incident to negatively further impact the bilateral relationship.

"Kerry wanted to directly engage on this with the Indian government. I think that's how I would describe what he walked away from it with. And we have no reason to believe that they didn't as well," she said, adding that other top State Department officials also spoke with Indian officials.

"Just this morning Undersecretary Sherman spoke with Foreign Secretary Singh to convey our understanding of Indian displeasure at this incident and our expectation that Indian government agencies will continue to fulfil their host of government obligations regarding the safety and security of our personnel and mission premises," she said.

The State Department has not received any communication from the Indian government about the transfer of the Indian diplomat to the United Nations, she said.

"We have seen these media reports, but we at the State Department have not received any official communication regarding a possible change of credentials," she said.

"In terms of the process, if and when such a request is made to the UN, it would be made to the UN Secretariat, who would then inform the Department of State. If, again, such a request is made, which we have not received any communication on such a request, it would have to be reviewed by all appropriate authorities at the UN and at the Department of State.

"It's not an automatic thing by any means. But again, we haven't received such a request," she noted.

"Since no request has been made to us, I don't know what that would look like in practice. I've been very clear about what her diplomatic status was at the time of the arrest and currently is, which is, of course, consular immunity," she said.

Harf said US officials have been in contact with the complainant (the maid) and her family.
"I can't comment on the substance of that contact, but I want to stress that all authorities have followed and are following all laws and procedures, certainly related to this issue and any other issues as well," she added.

The US welcomed the statement from the Ministry of External Affairs that India is fully committed to ensuring the safety and security of all diplomats in Delhi and elsewhere and that they fully intend to fulfil their Vienna Convention obligations, she said.

"So we'll keep talking with them about it and working on this moving forward," she said.

Acknowledging that the US has received several demarches from the government of India, she said: "We have been very clear that we believe our diplomats should be allowed to continue with their jobs. They should not be impeded from doing them in any way by any of these actions. That's what we're focused on. The conversations continue at high levels, clearly. And we'll keep having them going."

member_22733 · Post by **member_22733** » 19 Dec 2013 02:45

TSJ: A lot of things are well out of CT territory now.

There is a minor chance that this was a gaffe by local "pandu havildar" and over-enthusiastic DA to teach the savages a lesson. Lets assume that it was indeed the case, then how in the world was the T-VISA for the maid's family issued and how did they time their flight off Indian soil with such precision? Since issuing a T-VISA is under the State department, should the state department not have taken care of the issue internally without bringing it to a boil like this? Unless ofcourse the state department KNEW what it was doing, in which case the entire chain of command wanted to teach someone a lesson, be it "civilizing them" or something else.

In any case the US has alienated a lot of young impressionable people in India (and in the Indian power structure). I say good for the US, and good for us

munna · Post by **munna** » 19 Dec 2013 02:46

TSJones wrote:Dude, do you know how powerful India's tourist industry is? They are some supremely well connected folks. You don't realize who you are potentially threatening. Think this through.

Neither am I Kanwal Sibbal nor am I some person of authority. It is a section of establishment speaking on something, right on the national television (Times Now). So if they are talking about it they must know about it too.

There is not going to be any satsifactory ending to this. No more from me on this topic.

That is what a citizen's concern would be, how to mend fences but in a one sided manner? In matters involving 'loss of face', the establishments harbour ill will for long so this whole episode should be christened as diplomatic hit wicket of the century!

member_22733 · Post by **member_22733** » 19 Dec 2013 02:49

putnanja wrote:'Kerry was aware of Khobragarde's arrest'

.........
"I think part of it, of course, was focused on the fact that we don't believe that there should be steps taken in Delhi or elsewhere in India by the government to prohibit us from doing our work, to put restrictions on our work, some of the things we've talked about with the demarches.
.........
Acknowledging that the US has received several demarches from the government of India, she said: "We have been very clear that we believe our diplomats should be allowed to continue with their jobs. They should not be impeded from doing them in any way by any of these actions. That's what we're focused on. The conversations continue at high levels, clearly. And we'll keep having them going."

In short: We will screw your diplomats and insult your state whenever we want, but we dont want you to do the same to us. We regret having to do this to you and regret having to ask you not to attack our diplomats.

This kind of double talk certainly deserves an Israel style response

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Dec 2013 02:54

So they want their liquor import permits back? Is that what hurt? Are they a bunch of drunks in the embassies?

Cant be the barricades for the Embassy has a lot of setback from the road and Delhi is not Islamabd with raging mad rioters or Kabul with it good Taliban. There never was a security issue except in their overactive cavity imaginations.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 19 Dec 2013 02:57

Rahul M wrote:utterly insincere statement. if GOI finds this acceptable we will know there has been either a surrender or a got-up.

Secy Kerry has not given anything substantial or material.

member_22733 · Post by **member_22733** » 19 Dec 2013 02:57

TSJones wrote:Dude, do you know how powerful India's tourist industry is? They are some supremely well connected folks. You don't realize who you are potentially threatening. Think this through.

There is not going to be any satsifactory ending to this. No more from me on this topic.

LOL! well no one is going to "ban" every American from travelling to India. Only a select few. The tourism industry will be just fine. And yes, the dirty pigs are upon us and the fight is already dirty, now lets give a good fight and finish off with a nice ham sandwich.

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 19 Dec 2013 03:04

Regarding the demarches, I think there is either something more that the GoI threatened them with, or there is something illegal in the way they run their schools and pay salaries to US and Indian folks etc. That might have forced them to make a call. And they keep harping on the security. Hindu reports that the extra security was removed because in Washington, the reserved parking lot for Indian embassy was turned into a public parking lot even after India's request. It was tit for tat for that issue.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Dec 2013 03:24

Still I dont get how effective those apparently futile moves by India impacted the US?

How is the
- revoking of liquor permits a big deal? What is the magnitude of liquor imports? 10 or 100 bottles a week?
- asking for salary structure of Indian employees a big deal? Shouldnt they be reproting this for Incomce Tax purposes anyway as law abiding entities?
- Cancelling parking permits etc? How many and what does this mean?
- Barricades? Delhi is not Islamabad.

How come no one in press is asking this?

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 19 Dec 2013 03:26

Has GOI shown more outrage yet? Hopefully GOI has done something really emphatic, like preventing turkey imports for the embassy.

member_22733 · Post by **member_22733** » 19 Dec 2013 03:28

My bet is on dossiers and CDs regarding how Indian laws were broken by the US diplomatic staff and hope that action will be taken against them in the US.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Dec 2013 03:38

The Hindu article states the barricades were removed as tit for tat for the parking lot near Indian Embassy in DC. So it was not for the diplomat's arrest. And should not be seen as some Indian over reaction.

Only stopping liquor and parking permits had that dramatic effect on the US.

Barricades around the US Embassy removed

Apparently in response to the U.S. reclaiming a parking lot marked for Indian consulate in Washington

In the wake of the strained diplomatic relations between India and the United States, the Delhi Police, on instructions of the Ministry of External Affairs, dismantled security barricades and spike strips around the U.S. Embassy complex in the high-security Chanakyapuri area here on Tuesday. It is learnt that the action is in response to a decision by the U.S. administration to convert a parking lot marked for the Indian consulate in Washington D.C. for general use.

Soon after the government announced a series of retaliatory measures in view of the arrest and handcuffing of Devyani Khobragade, the Indian Deputy Consul-General in New York, a team comprising senior officers from the traffic, security and the New Delhi district reached the embassy area around 4 p.m. Following a survey, the team initiated the process of removing all the security infrastructure around the U.S. Embassy along Nyaya Marg.

An earth-mover and two cranes were pressed into service to remove the barriers. The team first removed the barriers and spike strips at the rear lane of the embassy.

The operation was carried out under the supervision of Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Shukla.

“The action has been taken as a reciprocatory measure on the request of MEA. Accordingly, the barriers and barricades installed on Nyaya Marg have been removed and the road has been opened to public,” Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Taj Hassan said.

Mr. Hassan, however, said that no changes have been made in the security arrangement around the embassy. “There is no modification in the deployment of security personnel or police patrolling in the area. We have only cleared Nyaya Marg for general traffic,” said another police officer.

They could have added an "A" in front of the street name!

So what is this bogus concerns about security and all that? Looks like SD folks were again raising red herrings when they knew security was not lowered.

Looks like Hindu does not even read theri own new reporters work.

Outrage and Overreaction

Looks like another windbag pompous op-ed to get massa brownie points.
Security was not reduced per their own reproter but the editor bolivates about it!

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 19 Dec 2013 03:40

>> How come no one in press is asking this?

they are too busy leaning the other way ? hundi editorial sermonises about 'overreaction'.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 19 Dec 2013 03:40

Singha wrote:within next few days it should become clear whether her family was indeed evacuated. if so, clearly she was a spy.

If one goes by the novels and movies; spies are expendable and even disposable. So why would a country want to attract so much attention to help out a spy? How uh ever we complain about desi babus and sleuths, somebody is going to sit up and think like what BRFites are thinking on this forum, no? So many desis are accused of being spies, heck even the Su Swamy is called one. So why would maasa instead of silently brushing the lady and her family under carpet, seek to enact this tamasha?

member_22733 · Post by **member_22733** » 19 Dec 2013 03:42

Varadarajan effect not out of Hundi system yet?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Dec 2013 03:42

They have track record with Rabinder Singh and David Headley.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 19 Dec 2013 03:45

The why might be a mistery. But the 'What' is not. If the maid's family got visa just days before Devyani was arrested, then it is an act of pre-meditation. The 'why' might or might not become clear. But as long as the 'what' is answered, it should be enough to give clarity about how to retaliate.

member_22733 · Post by **member_22733** » 19 Dec 2013 03:54

I do hope a couple of things happen :-
1) thorough background check on every Indian who is serving the US embassy and the IFS, including extending upto a few generations and a probe on whether they are connected in anyway directly or indirectly to the US state dept (via say an org like WorldVision etc).
2) A thorough check on the activities of the maids family and an attempt to find any evidence of any crime however minor in order to cancel the passports that were issued to the maid and the family, thereby making their stay in the US illegal.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 19 Dec 2013 03:56

Well I blame the Slavic hordes and the Hebrew shekel lovers-they are going to get another $30 billion of arms contracts over the next few years. Now it is up to the US tour operators to fight the Russkies.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Dec 2013 03:57

TOIlet reports its own investigation

Search on Khobargade may even be illegal

I dont like the Indian media penchant for calling people by first name as if they are long lost yaars.

Aman Sharma

NEW DELHI: The United States marshal service (USMS) may have flouted its own policy by subjecting Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade to intrusive strip and cavity searches, an examination of its rules show, lending weight to India's accusations that its actions were disproportionate and probably even illegal.

USMS directives, reviewed by ET, stipulate that such searches can be done only if there is "reasonable suspicion" that the person arrested is carrying contraband or weapons, is a repeat offender or is considered a security, escape or suicide risk.

Khobragade, in an email to her colleagues that found its way to the media on Wednesday, said she had been subjected to stripping, cavity searches, DNA swabbing and handcuffing while in custody. This was despite the fact that she or her alleged offence does not fit in with the profile of people or crimes that could be subjected to such intrusive examination.

USMS spokesperson Nikki Credic-Barrett confirmed that Khobragade was subjected to a "strip search", but claimed that this was as per standard procedures.

USMS directives in place since 2010 clearly lay down four kinds of searches: pat-down search, in-custody search, strip search and digital cavity search — the last two used only in specific circumstances.

According to these directives, a strip search is a "complete search" of the prisoner's attire and a "visual inspection" of the prisoner's naked body, including body cavities, and stipulates certain procedures for it. USMS defines a cavity search as involving intrusion into a body cavity (mouth, ears, nostrils, rectum or vagina) by an officer using his hands or a medical device.

"Strip searches on prisoners in custody are authorized when there is reasonable suspicion that the prisoner may be carrying contraband and/or weapons, or considered to be a security, escape and/or suicide risk," the USMS directives clearly state.

Subjecting Khobragade to such searches, besides being disproportionate, was clearly in violation of the USMS' own rules, experts in India said.

Former cabinet secretary and India's ambassador to the US from 1996 to 2001, Naresh Chandra, said the US had clearly violated its own law and accused the US marshall service and state department of lying.

"The latter knows that what the US Marshals did was excessive and is just covering up a bad case by defending this matter in typical US bureaucratic style. They adopted a measure of a strip and cavity search that is not provided in their own law in this case," Chandra told ET.

"If her lawyer brings this to the notice of US courts, they will take a serious view. We should not let the US off the hook on this one," he added.

The USMS directives define "reasonable suspicion" as "articulable facts" that reasonably lead to suspicion that a particular person is concealing a weapon, contraband, or evidence of a crime "on or within the body". The directives also say that such reasonable suspicion may be based on one or more of six laid down criteria.

These include: "A serious nature of offence charges like crime of violence or drugs, prisoner's appearance or demeanor, circumstances surrounding the arrest or detention, prisoner's criminal history, type and security of the institution where the prisoner is detained or history of discovery of contraband/or weapons on the prisoner individually or in the institution in which prisoners are detained".

Former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal, who has served as deputy chief of mission in the US, said that it was clear that Khobragade's profile did not in any way fall in the category for a strip search. "US booked her for a visa fraud case. She is not a felon or a drug addict or hiding weapons or one with criminal history. There was no reason to believe that a senior Indian diplomat may escape from custody or commit suicide either. The US has subjected her to the worst possible treatment under their law which I would term as an arbitrary exercise of power," Sibal said.

An e-mail sent by ET to the USMS requesting clarifications on the said deviations from their policy remained unanswered at the time of going to press.

Former home secretary GK Pillai said the US was probably trying to send a message through its "excessive and arbitrary" treatment of Khobragade. "I suspect a method to their madness. The US wanted to send a message through the way they humiliated the Indian woman diplomat," he said, echoing a line taken by Uttam Khobragade, the diplomat's father.

"Devyani has been made a target, a scapegoat. It is the outcome of tussle going on between India's ministry of external affairs and the US state department for the last two years," he had said on Tuesday after a meet-ing with foreign minister Salman Khurshid.

So what do the MUTU members who were telling us how treatment of Ms Khobargade was subjected was routine and apporpriate?

Do you all have the courage to admit excess force was used?

Even SD spokewoman Ms Harf has lost credibility.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Dec 2013 03:59

I think DK should counter sue USMS for illegal search and detention and forcible rape.

member_22733 · Post by **member_22733** » 19 Dec 2013 04:00

xpost from under burqka:

vivek.rao wrote:http://newsinsight.net/...comehometoroo ... age=page-1

Long before Manmohan Singh dreamt that the United States would make India a great power based on the fraudulent assurances of the then visiting American secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, Atal Behari Vajpayee had spoken of his country and America as being “natural allies” because of their shared commitment to democracy. Possibly the dire need to win breathing space for India post the Pokharan-2 sanctions compelled the prime minister to indulge in such artful shamming, but after the United States’ Iraq war, Vajpayee abandoned the pretensions when he exhorted Pakistan to settle the differences with India to save from American unilateralism, which the Pakistanis, naturally, never paid heed to. The drone programme is what Pakistan has fetched in prize together with blood money for ceding its core sovereignty to the United States.

But Manmohan Singh, never a learner, benefitted nothing from Vajpayee’s experience, looking towards America in the like manner of a desperate immigrant catching the first sight of the Statue of Liberty steaming into New York harbour. Not only did he throw all caution to the wind by signing the nuclear deal at the cost of abandoning the indigenous three-stage power programme which would have secured India energy-wise for at least 400 years, he disastrously also took Rice at her word, refusing to think for himself that no state makes another a great power. It rides against natural law. The Left in the meanwhile prevented the full optimization of the India-United States defence framework agreement which would have compelled Indian participation in amoral American unilateralism, but by then, Manmohan Singh was so blinded by admiration of and devotion to America that he made the appalling statement that “Indians love George Bush” or words to that effect.

There wasn’t a time when Manmohan Singh wasn’t travelling to the United States to meet Bush and subsequently Obama, leading to caustic commentaries in this magazine. Inevitably, this mental slavery took its toll on disputes related to Pakistan, where under United States’ pressure, India has been forced into a fruitless and destructive peace dialogue with a terror state. On the other hand, the United States has not relented on its core interests, for example, refusing custody of David Coleman Headley who played a key role for the Lashkar-e-Toiba in the 2008 Bombay terror attack. Some months ago, this magazine revealed that the ministry of external affairs pestered the White House to grant a lunch meeting for Manmohan Singh with Barack Obama, in exchange for which the transactional American government wrested fast-track Indian purchase of United States’ military equipment. All in all, the United States has treated India as a wretched third-rate mendicant nation, and Manmohan Singh, his ministers and their officials have stood for it. So how surprising can Devyani Khobragade’s abject humiliation get?

But that is scarcely all. The United Progressive Alliance has used the United States to settle scores with Narendra Modi and hobble him in the race for prime minister. This is nothing short of treachery. As soon as the United Progressive Alliance came to power, Modi was blacklisted in America. The withdrawal of his valid United States’ visa became a stick to beat Modi with, and even when it was obvious that the Gujarat chief minister had no inclination to reapply, leading questions were posed about it periodically to sundry United States’ state department officials, doubtless at the prompting of New Delhi, to prolong the affront and the injury. The United States government, venal as it is, played on these differences, provoking mirth and merriment in high quarters in the Congress party. When you encourage foreign governments to disparage and denigrate elected representatives -- and surely the Indian Foreign Service played a disgraceful role in this -- it is only a matter of time before such contemptible conduct expansively targets the charmed circles. With the Devyani Khobragade incident, the chickens have come home to roost. When the national security advisor speaks of the barbarism attending the Indian consul, he needs reminding that he maintained shameful silence when Modi, an elected chief minister, was repeatedly insulted by the United States. To his credit, Narendra Modi has stood with the government in this crisis, but the United Progressive Alliance regime stands cruelly exposed.

As India goes to the polls next year, the electorate must take into account that the United Progressive Alliance has eviscerated the country in the foreign policy and strategic spheres. India faces grave peril in the neighbourhood from belligerent China and its proxies and it stands lowered in the eyes of the great powers. In the post-Cold War world, strategic competition is crippling, and the winner takes all. Under the present leadership, India is singularly incapable of winning its rightful place in the sun. In strategic leadership, China is generations ahead, and revelling alternately in victimhood and television nationalism will sink this country. It is, therefore, imperative that Devyani Khobragade’s distressing and tragic ordeal is separated and shielded from the critical matter of India’s strategic build-up, where a determined thrust alone will reclaim national honour.

Editor’s note: There are internal reports that Devyani Khobragade refused to be coopted by United States’ intelligence agencies which retaliated by “fixing” her in the nanny case. If so, India must broaden the retaliation against America, and hold out the threat of expulsion of United States’ covert services’ personnel, whose spying in the national capital, anyhow, has reached dangerous proportions.

Prem Kumar · Post by **Prem Kumar** » 19 Dec 2013 04:00

The response of many of our Gungadins is identical to the response after an Islamic terror incident or the Rapepal incident. It works on 3 principles:

a) Clean chit to the perpetrator - "The US was only following its laws" ("Terror has no religion"; "Tejpal misread the situation")
b) Slander the victim - "She abused the maid & was involved in Adarsh scam" ("Hindu intolerance leads to radicalization of Muslims"; "The journalist lady was drunk")
c) Hail a weak response & call for closure - "We removed liquor licenses. Relationship mustn't suffer" ("We sent dossiers to Islamabad. Talks must continue"; "Self lacerating penance for 6 months. The idea of Tehelka must not die")

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 19 Dec 2013 04:04

Devesh said it right a few pages ago.

I understand TSJ defending US but even he expressed his outrage in his own way.

Others?

member_22733 · Post by **member_22733** » 19 Dec 2013 04:05

Harvard Prof: Derrick Bell, who I am a big fan of, wrote 5 rules of racial standing (in matter of white judicial systems), rule #4 is pertinent to Gungadeens (and their white masters like TSJ(?? ):

FOURTH RULE
When a black person or group makes a statement or takes an action that the white community or vocal components thereof deem "outrageous," the latter will actively recruit blacks willing to refute the statement or condemn the action. Blacks who respond to the call to condemnation will receive superstanding status. The blacks who refuse to be recruited will be interpreted as endorsing the statements and action and may suffer political or economic reprisals.

More here: http://www.mdcbowen.org/p2/rm/define/bellsRules.html

Shanmukh · Post by **Shanmukh** » 19 Dec 2013 04:06

Okay - this is just a theory. Massa wants the MMS government to do/give something. MMS government is not willing/able to do it. So - they humiliate a establishment diplomat as a show of what awaits the rest when they have to migrate to Khanland. After all, if NaMo comes to power and goes after the corrupt, then several top honchos in our establishment want to keep a place open in Khanland. And Khan is demonstrating that all that may not materialise after NaMo comes to power, if Khan does not get what it wants from the MMS government. So - this public humiliation of an establishment diplomat.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 19 Dec 2013 04:14

Bade wrote:Grad students are paid for 20hrs/week on paper, but usually have to work at times 40hrs and more per week. Lots of Univs should be in trouble by that yardstick.

Grad Student work hours are a non-issue as not only the students but (hopefully, if they are already tenured) their advisers would be working long hours. I am sure you, among many others on BRF, would know very well that monetary rewards beyond a certain point do not motivate researchers.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 19 Dec 2013 04:17

Grad Student work hours are a non-issue as not only the students but (hopefully, if they are already tenured) their advisers would be working long hours.

HoHoHo (completely of topic), my dear grad advisor was only seen at coffee break when he came in to advise of his trips to the squash court, South America, dim sum etc.