India-US Strategic News and Discussion

[UlanBatori]

And BTW, I wonder what happened to poor 100-lb Paco when the Mays "evacuated". Is he getting his protein? Or has be been made into burgers for the deprived Embassy brethren?

[munna]

Well, KLNM, that's the part where I am afraid of being blindsided. That arrest is being cast as blatant Babucracy arrogance of UK, DK's daddy. If Dilli polis is so corrupt that they would go and arrest some poor family just because an ex-Babu is displeased at a contract wage dispute with his munni beti, then the PBs can get all puffed up about Liberty and Saving The Meek In the Face of Extreme Danger.

If I may step in, there are two separate procedures that may be operating here. Investigative detention over suspicion and mysterious disappearance in a foreign land is a legitimate action independent of UK or DK's influence. What probably happened was investigative detention under CRPC code. Since it was not an arrest they could be let go and no bail was indeed.

Arrest is a different category of action undertaken over a probable cause and backed by courts/magisterial powers/due process.

[UlanBatori]

How can they investigatively detain someone, instead of just going for chai-biskoot at their house? Baaaad mistake in this case. I guess I am imagining a free land of constitutional protections where Stupid Cows can roam the streets wearing the Diplomatic ID of the US of A, not the reality of Dera Sonia Khan. But yes, that would explain it, and it would have sent them into panic.

[Mahesh_R]

Which is what induced him to quit work and sit still so long that anthills covered him and he was inducted as an Honorary Member of the Kerala State Secretariat in recognition of his inertia.

[Lilo]

Richards Junior (the drunken driver) was a driver in the Mozambique Embassy - not US

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes ... government
Ms.Richards husband Philip Richards, who worked as a driver in Mozambique embassy in Delhi, along with her two children were whisked to the US.

The Richards senior were attached to the Embassy villa which housed the Mays .. handyman/cook/maid/ etc etc ... could be even the guy (gardener) featured next to Paco. Which if correct, would mean that the Mays were giving him less protein than Paco

K is for Kunayl, m driver! Kunal literally is the savior of my family in India. He knows every in-and-out in Delhi and can get us to any random street known to man. He has worked with foreign diplomats as a driver for many years. Kunal speaks English well and works well with the family. Even Paco, my 100 lb. Doberman likes him! I don’t know what my family would do with out him (probably hide in the house and never venture out).

Read rest of ABCD's at daughters blog https://app.box.com/s/kral4w6nr7mbnkgtjox4

Anmol ji,
Nice. The ABCD's blog post by motorma Brianna offers a good peek into the mindset of these folks.
She calls it Delhi bullhi - (mem its Delhi belly and mind it, carbonated water doesnt kill Delhi bullhi causing germs (eek !) ( at telling these idiots that these "Hindi words" are actually English words ) .
Also there is a picture of her posing with Hillary - should be useful at various places.
Also whats with these Americans and dogs hain ji? there is whole list of dogs apart from Paco being kept by this family and the daughter lists them and is happy that all are doing good.

[munna]

How can they investigatively detain someone, instead of just going for chai-biskoot at their house? Baaaad mistake in this case. I guess I am imagining a free land of constitutional protections where Stupid Cows can roam the streets wearing the Diplomatic ID of the US of A, not the reality of Dera Sonia Khan. But yes, that would explain it, and it would have sent them into panic.

Err its less of detention but more of a case of

In the West you break the law, In Soviet Russia the law breaks you

That means how can an SHO/ACP drop by at a Richard's place? You see sarkar mai-baap summons its citizens and not other way round. In all probability he must have been called up to the police station and made to wait for ages before asking him usual banalities and then sent back. This is the practice in cases involving some 'phoren' angle. It is another matter that someone somewhere in a foreign system was spooked by this.

[KrishnaK]

And there are several countries out there willing to pick up hard earned Indian money for their education systems. Go figure. Apparently, merely asking for these figures to be analyzed, makes you have a fit.

And this is exactly why your argument is funny. How is India going to change the minds of people lined up outside the US embassy ? I'm sure there are several country willing to pick up hard earned Indian money, but looks like the one that is most in demand is the US. From posts on this very thread, it ranges from politicians to the aam admi.

If the facts were so well known, we wouldn't have the vast majority of reports about how the Indian relationship with the US is all about US access to the Indian market, Indian IT industry & the PRC. And how 2 in the above automatically balances out 1 and 3.

Heck when the reports of attacks on Indian students in Australia came out & the numbers re: those students spending came about, it pretty much shut up all the racist diatribe about Indians going there for better opportunities alone, immigrants etc which the Aussie Aussie crowd was pushing. And incidentally quite similar to how your statements have shaped up so far.

As regards "laughing my ass off", I'd say many in the forum are laughing their ass off both at the US media & the folks who desperately try to either spin away the indefensible or try to reduce the perceived impact of anything & everything perceived as "anti American". Go figure in which crowd you belong.

Cool down and try to make sense. Aussie this, racist that, spin and all is irrelevant. After having made that analysis what do you suggest India do to move all those Indians lined up outside to the US embassy elsewhere ?

LOL, from "lets leave my motivations out of this", now you are down to "my fondness for the US is pretty open" and "you'll get plenty of other chances"..

Guess what, you want to carry the water for somebody else, go ahead. Dont expect it wont be pointed out on BRF, with an emphasis on Bharat.

Its clear that your "fondness" for the US has made you lose your goldarn marbles and have you jumping up & down like a jackrabbit whenever any topic re: the US comes & any perceived affront to the US comes front.

In the meantime, don't waste my time with your zealotry re: the US or your fondness or whatever you cloak it as.

All I am saying is you're pretty close to discharging a small bore pistol here.

[saip]

Is it my computer or the blog? I can not read it. The background color and the font color are too close and the print is practically invisible ( I am color blind). Is there a way of changing the background color or the font color?

[KrishnaK]

And there are several countries out there willing to pick up hard earned Indian money for their education systems. Go figure. Apparently, merely asking for these figures to be analyzed, makes you have a fit.

And this is exactly why your argument is funny. How is India going to change the minds of people lined up outside the US embassy ? I'm sure there are several country willing to pick up hard earned Indian money, but looks like the one that is most in demand is the US. From posts on this very thread, it ranges from politicians to the aam admi.

If the facts were so well known, we wouldn't have the vast majority of reports about how the Indian relationship with the US is all about US access to the Indian market, Indian IT industry & the PRC. And how 2 in the above automatically balances out 1 and 3.

Heck when the reports of attacks on Indian students in Australia came out & the numbers re: those students spending came about, it pretty much shut up all the racist diatribe about Indians going there for better opportunities alone, immigrants etc which the Aussie Aussie crowd was pushing. And incidentally quite similar to how your statements have shaped up so far.

As regards "laughing my ass off", I'd say many in the forum are laughing their ass off both at the US media & the folks who desperately try to either spin away the indefensible or try to reduce the perceived impact of anything & everything perceived as "anti American". Go figure in which crowd you belong.

Cool down and try to make sense. Aussie this, racist that, spin and all is irrelevant. After having made that analysis what do you suggest India do to move all those Indians lined up outside to the US embassy elsewhere ?

LOL, from "lets leave my motivations out of this", now you are down to "my fondness for the US is pretty open" and "you'll get plenty of other chances"..

Guess what, you want to carry the water for somebody else, go ahead. Dont expect it wont be pointed out on BRF, with an emphasis on Bharat.

Its clear that your "fondness" for the US has made you lose your goldarn marbles and have you jumping up & down like a jackrabbit whenever any topic re: the US comes & any perceived affront to the US comes front.

In the meantime, don't waste my time with your zealotry re: the US or your fondness or whatever you cloak it as.

Your analysis has nothing to do with the US and everything to do with India and Indians. All you're doing is discharging a small bore pistol in the direction of your foot.

[UlanBatori]

sarkar mai-baap summons its citizens and not other way round.

Ah! Samajh gaya. It makes sense that if the Inshpector and chamcha come screeching up to the slum with red lights flashing and march into house for a 1-hour closed-door chat, the entire nbd will come gather around to investigate and do the post-visit expert commentary. So "discreet option" is to call the person to the ishtashun onlee.

Any gyan on whether the AES is inside or adjacent to US Embassy and whether Marines provide access control to both?

[Karan M]

And this is exactly why your argument is funny. How is India going to change the minds of people lined up outside the US embassy ? I'm sure there are several country willing to pick up hard earned Indian money, but looks like the one that is most in demand is the US. From posts on this very thread, it ranges from politicians to the aam admi.

Do you have an issue with reading comprehension or is it that your fondness for the US is making you sillier by the minute? I merely pointed out that it bears doing an analysis to see exactly what India provides to the US education sector, plus the overall impact of facilitating a widescale transfer of many of its students to foreign climes. Besides which it should be obvious to anyone with even a passing knowledge of the dynamics of how the forex outflow is structured that there is a lot India could do if it chose to do so, but instead it goes to incredible lengths to allow this transfer to go through.

Cool down and try to make sense. Aussie this, racist that, spin and all is irrelevant. After having made that analysis what do you suggest India do to move all those Indians lined up outside to the US embassy elsewhere ?

Cut the rubbish kindly. Your attempt to confuse the issue is all very well, but the fact remains that the Aussie issue was very germane & directly showed the business that Indian students & others brought to Australia and had them behave practicably as they understood the direct business impact of Indians to a key business sector of theirs.

I am merely pointing out that India needs to point out the quantum of its ties with respect to this issue after analyzing the issue. Nor did I suggest that India do something off the cuff. For India to do something is an entirely different matter.

If that's something you still can't understand & seek to parlay that into a direct confrontation with the US & references to CT's, it speaks volumes about your agenda.

All I am saying is you're pretty close to discharging a small bore pistol here.

LOL, whoever talked of discharging anything? You are the one who has been discharging a lot of stuff & deliberately tilting at windmills. Keep your theories to yourself.

[Karan Dixit]

I was all sold on the espionage angle till Ulan Batori raised the question of arrest of Richards family in Delhi. I think he makes a valid point. I do not know about New Delhi but in our Kolkata, police does not go around arresting people while they are investigating something. Police usually shows up at the door with their queries, they are usually invited in for Chai/Samos/Rasgullah and the conversation ensues. If U Khobragade had any hand in the arrest of an innocent man then that needs to be investigated. India is not the personal estate of corrupt babus. This point needs to be hammered.

[Vayutuvan]

Lilo: let us not transfer the sins of the parents onto the children. Though her blog of ms. Brianna May comes across as an average junior/senior with not many preconceived notions and not particularly antagonistic towards India. One can forgive occasional goofyness if she is going to develop some empathy towards India the people and the land.

[Lilo]

X is for pedestrian’s X-ing – Cows are more sacred than anything (duh) and so it is worse to hit a cow with
your car than a person. Intersections and roundabouts have billions of people around them walking to their
jobs, walking to their houses, or just walking aimlessly that cars and mopeds have to dodge. All traffic stops
though when a cow walks by, because you would be stoned or beaten if your car was the one to hit it in a
traffic accident.

O is for Oh no you didn’t! Many of the Indian men are very ‘grabby’ and sexually deprived and they think
foreign women are a mysterious prize for them to have. Many women experience what is called “Eve
Teasing” which is sexual harassment light. A light brush of your arm, a quick grab of the buttocks, or even a
full on boob-grab is very common for foreign and Indian women to deal with. I have (knock on wood) yet to
deal with this type of harassment, and my father has made sure I know how to deal with it in the event that it
happens, but many of my female friends and Indian women who work at the Embassy have dealt with this in
the crowds of Delhi.

Matrimc ji,
Well I am making the point about the bevy of dogs and the preconceived biases (she came to intern in the massa embassy -self admittedly eyeing a future job in her fathers diplomatic security dept didn't she?) - that means her biases about India are passed to her ,from the milieu in the massa embassy.

Well her father would have already gotten a pay scale raise (massa too has its morale issues to upkeep especially among diplomatic security types who guard their perfumed musharraphs). Only hope that the May's take this incident in the learning spirit (what ever maybe the pay raises they get) and instill them in their young daughter.

But there is nothing to contest your overall point about Sins of parents though .

[Karan M]

Lilo: let us not transfer the sins of the parents onto the children. Though her blog of ms. Brianna May comes across as an average junior/senior with not many preconceived notions and not particularly antagonistic towards India. One can forgive occasional goofyness if she is going to develop some empathy towards India the people and the land.

Fair point. She came across as a decent sort TBH.

But I think judging from her & her parents responses that these people were literally behaving like soldiers in a fort, occasionally slipping out to mix with the local population, always worried what the natives would do.

Going by the number of over the top media reports the parents were enthusiastically (and fearfully) regurgitating & the stereotypes liberally being engaged in (including the Delhi Belly stuff).. its like they believed they were under siege & behaved accordingly. The US really needs to send people more willing to be in a developing country, instead of folks who are so averse overall (IMHO).

For instance, take that stuff about "drinking water direct from the tap". In several places (I know of), you couldn't do that in the US either - stuff like lead or other particulates. It was advised to get water filters. Delhi belly? Several acquaintances got lactose intolerant when they went to the US.

Its ok to be scared, but a lot of the stuff seems to have been in their head especially the parents so to speak, and they were generally frightened & lashing out at each & everything.

I mean these people were literally (at least judging by their reports) living the high life in India. Going to posh digs, elite tourist attractions, chaperoned around, eating/partying most of the time at fancy places....YET, they are having conniptions about the water (even bathing in it) and stuff like the electricity failing (when they have generators).

That stuff about eve teasing, "most Indian men are deprived etc", well again -dont want to drag local issues into the mix, but is the US completely safe? Can one walk around a ghetto or low income neighbourhood safely? A case f.e. - a guy got beaten up when he didnt hand over his laptop to a bunch of folks who came up and asked for it. Resistance is not an option with the easy access to firearms in the US.

Point is the "living in the fort" and "outside there be dragons" sort of thought process that seems to have been going on.

[UlanBatori]

I agree that Miss Mays comes across as an intelligent, educated and caring human, very far different from her parents. She finds her New Delhi sojourn "so cool" or whatever, and she makes the most of what life has placed in her path with the gusto that characterizes the best of Americans. She had already done and learned so much in her short time in India, and will take back many happy memories.

If all the US Embassy people and SD people came with her attitudes, the US would certainly not have this sort of SNAFU.

I hope her memory of India is not dominated by the ending of her parents' stay here, which appears to have also been the end of their State Dept. careers and probably her stint in the BDS as well. Hope she finds happiness in whatever she does.

Reading THAT fb page was a welcome relief after reading the unwelcome exposure of the elder Mays' mental cavities. THAT was like a mooning.

Karan, I am not sure what to make of the "arrest" of the India-based members of the Richards family. Not enough has come out about the legal proceedings in India - and what led to the court injunction to SR against making complaints. How can a court say to someone: "YOU SHALL NOT COMPLAIN!" unless there is clear evidence that there is a move to file a slanderous and/or deliberately malicious complaint. I have heard of Anticipatory Bail, but not Anticipatory Prohibition Against Complaints. Strange, and warrants some explanation, so we don't blunder into this and allow PB to make us look foolish.

OTOH, what it suggests is that the Indian Court had an inkling that this whole thing was a deliberate setup, which is most interesting. WHAT was that evidence? Why has GOI or even the KH.. family made that very public? Are they under gag order from the Indian court too? If the Richards family had to appear in Indian court, would that have exposed the illegal scams perpetrated with the collusion of the US Embassy/SD? That appears to be a very good explanation why the T-visas came out sooo fast. I mean, normally they take weeks to process visa applications, hey?

All this stuff emanating from the US Embassy triggers the Fragrance Sensors.

[Karan M]

Ulan sir, the best people to answer your questions would be folks like Chaanakya, A_Gupta, vic along with several other folks - they have been following the case down to the last comma, from the legal & other perspectives. And I daresay, they would provide a better answer than I could.

[ramana]

KrishnaK and others,
Please take your arguments to some other thread.

Thanks, ramana

[Vayutuvan]

Lilo: It is not just the milieu in the massa embassy. This is true even for some who grew up in Indian Metros (convent school -> IIT -> US for studies -> job in US). Of course, there are others in the first gen immigrants (I have only met a small number outside BRF where it is close to 100%) who are/can be assets. Second gen PIOs are a toss up. Almost to the man, woman and child, their thinking would be more aligned with Ms. B. May than their first gen parents.

A couple of anecdotes - I was in India after a long hiatus (7 years). Just a little past lunchtime my dad and I went to an eating place in a reasonably high-end (Himayat Nagar in Hyderabad) locale on the main road. Place looked nice and clean, the entire front was a glass wall and looked nice from the road. The tables were set right against the glass so that diners can look the world go by. Good ambiance, nice air-conditioned place and all. I was sort of hungry and ordered some nice 70mm dosas and vadas etc. I was talking to my dad and from the side of my eye I could see somebody standing on the footpath a little away from the cafe. Didn't pay much attention as we were having a serious conversation. Anyways, the dosas came in piping hot and my dad started digging in. I was about to take my first bite and there was a small tap on the glass from outside. There was a kid about 10 years old looking at our plates, pointing one hand at his stomach his other extending for money. I grimaced as my appetite was completely gone and in fact I was almost gagging on by first bite. Dad was looking at me and he says "arrey beta, kya hua?" and then he looked outside. "Oh, the beggar. We are inured to these things but did not realize you have been away for too long. Just keep eating - don't pay much attention to him. He will leave."
Now imagine what would happen when second gen PIOs are in this situation. Ms. B. May is removed from India by several degrees (call it India number like Erdos Number) as opposed to second gen PIOs.

At an abstract level I knew what my dad was saying - my going out and giving him alms, money, or food is not going to save him or the other crores like him. Of course, when time came for my naturalization dad tried to dissuade me from doing that. He was interested in helping at the grass roots level but I had different ideas

[KrishnaK]

Do you have an issue with reading comprehension or is it that your fondness for the US is making you sillier by the minute? I merely pointed out that it bears doing an analysis to see exactly what India provides to the US education sector, plus the overall impact of facilitating a widescale transfer of many of its students to foreign climes. Besides which it should be obvious to anyone with even a passing knowledge of the dynamics of how the forex outflow is structured that there is a lot India could do if it chose to do so, but instead it goes to incredible lengths to allow this transfer to go through.

Mostly comprehending the profundity of your statements. Your pointing out that "it bears doing analysis" is surely with some goal in mind ? Do explain to me the dynamics of forex outflow and how India can use that to

India could do if it chose to do so, but instead it goes to incredible lengths to allow this transfer to go through

Surely when the relations between the US and India were at it's lowest, India must have instituted something of that sort ? How about instances of such behaviour (targeting a single country solely for education) by a democratic country anywhere else in the world ?

Cut the rubbish kindly. Your attempt to confuse the issue is all very well, but the fact remains that the Aussie issue was very germane & directly showed the business that Indian students & others brought to Australia and had them behave practicably as they understood the direct business impact of Indians to a key business sector of theirs.

Actually it only serves to counter what you claim. Yes the aussies were forced to behave practicably. Racist behaviour was out in the open for all to see and it made common news. Without the need for any analysis. If and when they fix their act, they'll get as much business as they're worth. If such were the case with the US, it would be out in the open by now, not needing analysis by bharat rakshaks.

LOL, whoever talked of discharging anything?

ME!!!! saying you doing the discharging.

You are the one who has been discharging a lot of stuff & deliberately tilting at windmills.

plus the overall impact of facilitating a widescale transfer of many of its students to foreign climes

but instead it goes to incredible lengths to allow this transfer to go through

This is precisely what I've been trying to point out. Your claim that India is conferring a favour on someone other than its own citizens. This is where your "it bears doing analysis" comes from. It is the duty of the country to provide for, within reason, as much opportunities as possible for its own citizens. Especially when it's not able to meet their aspirations itself. The very same citizens that serve India's interests abroad in multiple ways.

Keep your theories to yourself.

I have the liberty to participate on this forum just as much as you do saar.

P.S. Ramana I saw your message after the post. my last post on this topic. Feel free to delete.

[ramana]

Ok.

UB, Here is the first mention of the husband being arrested in Delhi. Quotes a ReDiff report.

http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 8#p1559698

[Karan M]

KrishnaK,

your hypocrisy knows no bounds, first you begin with "bleh di bleh Gelf NRIs send money" irrelevant sidetrack, follow it up with "kya ukhad loge US ka", "Australia is not germane" and finally you want somebody to explain to you how the "dynamics of forex outflows work". After admitting the Australia issue is germane after all (funny how that works eh?)

Its obvious to anyone but the deliberately obtuse as to who finances the bulk of Indian students & the same thing occurred when the more pernicious Australian types saw how how much they benefited from Indians.

Forex outflow of Bns annually is a serious topic and deserves to be analyzed. If the Indian govt seeks to discharge its responsibilities to its citizens re: education, it has a wide variety of options to do so including building up local capabilities, funny how that thought never crossed your mind, panicking as it clearly was at the thought of somehow cutting off all thoughts of the US business benefits being somehow harmed by the dastardly Indians. A topic you so desparately want to drive to & then somehow discredit, woohoo threat averted.

I merely pointed out that when the US media & other vested interests HARP on how much benefit the US gives India alone, its worth remarking how much intellectual & hard capital leaves Indian shores for the US as well. Its a two way street. The mere mention of that seems to have got you in a bind. Looks like it really hit close, eh?

In return, you fart on & on about unrelated topics, seek to imply that I am stating that India should enforce some restrictions against the US (the mischeivous context of your "discharging" and other rubbish claims about what India must & should do).

Given that your loyalties are clearly on the US side & will remain there as well - don't attempt to speak for Indians or stoke the fire for your agenda.

As regards the moderators deleting posts, they can delete mine as well, but your malignant BS deserved a reply to. I dont intend to post again on this topic given Ramana's directive so dont wish to hear any of your stuff either.

[ramana]

Thanks, ramana

[SaiK]

matrimc, i have been in that scenario, but slightly different.. with friends. i made the story turn a bit for that evening for two of the poor seekers - actually a bro+sister seeking alms. they looked hungry. I told them wait, and asked the restaurant service to pack two of the same i ordered asap. the order came within few minutes, and the two seekers went happy with hot idli+vadas.

it might not have given a right direction or made any difference to poverty, but it made the difference for the two seekers for 4 hours without hunger. my participation is mightier than indian gov participation considering cost, performance or anything for that matter.

[Mahesh_R]

I have compiled a list of the unilateral privileges revoked / under inquiry by the GOI currently.
Under Investigation

i) American School
a) cases of 16 wives of teachers working illegally - VISA fraud / income tax fraud
b) cases of spouses / dependents of diplomatic staff working illegally - VISA fraud / income tax fraud
c) running a private school and evading taxes -
d) disparity in wages of US & Indian teachers


ii) American Community Support Association
a) cases of spouses / dependents of diplomatic staff working illegally - VISA fraud / income tax fraud
b) running a commercial establishment and evading taxes

iii) US Embassy
a) misuse of tax free tickets by purchasing it for non-diplomatic staff / Indian nationals

Some where i feel our goi is taking things very slowly ...may be since DK is back in India so goi might not go for a KILL..there might be few pending issues where goi can be trapped by US..so goi is just using the above points to keep a check on them
ex: 1) US Embassy officials were asked to provide salary details and other stuff way back in mid of Dec...its been a month they didn't report anything back to MEA..all it takes is a call to IT dept from MEA....our IT Dept guys can pull out every PAISA they earned without paying taxes... still MEA is dragging the issue and giving the embasssy their own sweet time to respond..
2) spouses visa issue....they have done it for Kritika ...we could have done the same long back ...still there is not even a word out there saying they are planning for any arrests of the spouses working without paying taxes...
3) School... etc etc..
4) Stop commerical activities before Jan 16...again no follow up on the same by MEA..

IMO ...goi is worried going for a kill will make us to LOOSE a lot than the US...and ...also goi doesn't want to blink first..its waiting for SD to come and talk abt the deal where both parties will be winning ..and we all know how MIGHTY US that will never blink first...

Interesting times but i would be surprised if our munna govt will do anything that is atleast fairly called as retaliation for the DK issue....its been more than a month....slowly it will removed from public memory and business as usual for our babus...

[Vayutuvan]

I told them wait, and asked the restaurant service to pack two of the same i ordered asap. the order came within few minutes, and the two seekers went happy with hot idli+vadas.

SaiK: I did go out and gave the kid some money. But all said and done not much, eh? in the over all scheme of things?

[ramana]

Minerva?

[CRamS]

India's RAPE Thappad weighs in: its mostly India's fault, only a passing mention of US's abominable behavior

http://www.hindustantimes.com/comment/k ... 74469.aspx

[Karan Dixit]

Ok.

UB, Here is the first mention of the husband being arrested in Delhi. Quotes a ReDiff report.

http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 8#p1559698

This article gives a good insight into what actually happened. The whole episode is much simpler than what I imagined it to be.

Unfortunately, however, the article does not disclose the reason husband Richards was arrested. Also, why were the Richards kids arrested? More and more I think about it, I do not like the papa Khobragade. Now that the daughter Khobragade is back and safe in India, I think we owe it ourselves to investigate what actually happened.

Here is a task for Times of India: Investigate papa Khobragade and his role in the arrest of Richards.

---

BTW, Uttam Khobragade is running for Lok Sabha: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes ... a-election

[UlanBatori]

OK, I get it.

Meanwhile, an arrest warrant was issued against Richard by the metropolitan magistrate of the south district court in New Delhi under Sections 387, 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, according to the Indian embassy. These are related to extortion, cheating and conspiracy. If Richard enters India, she will be arrested.

The "husband and child were taken into custody" is an overstatement, clearly, because there is no record of their having been kept there, or charged, or bailed out. It was certainly not a ransom situation, as seen by the fact that the GOI did not grab their passports, and allowed them to leave the country.

Also, it is clear that any legal action in India did not occur until well after SR had already absconded with money, cellphone etc and stayed out for several months. As far as I can see, Dr. DK, the Consulate and the GOI babucracy acted perfectly as they should have. The aggression and criminality are thus entirely on the US Embassy/ BDS / SD / NYC/ PB side.

If India does not act now, it is an utter sell-out. Should NOT have allowed May to escape, IMO, both should have been put in the slammer and cavity-searched for both criminal fraud and for offending religious sentiments.

Interesting to see how PB's office will react now to the Motion to Dismiss. I bet that's what the GOI is waiting to see b4 raiding the AES and arresting the lot, but I think they should do it first, regardless. And pursue the case to the fullest extent of the law.

[UlanBatori]

Also, why were the Richards kids arrested?

The husband was asked to come to the station to talk to his wife over the long-distance phone, that's all. Took the kids along. Free phone call. The "arrested" is per "the witness".

The wife was absconding for months, remember. So it was natural for the police to ask if the family had heard from her, to track her. Note that a woman goes shopping in NYC and does not return, and there was no particular panic at what happened - they seem to have known that it was a case of skipping out, not foul play by someone else.

This is all about the Democrat/ White House Domestic Worker scam, they were clearly targeting India to pander to the labor unions and commie lobbies. Out and out conspiracy. I think India should throw the kitab at them. This really makes me very angry to think I voted for BO the first time.

[vina]

Oh, I am sure that papa Khobragade reeks of being corrupt to the core. No one gets doled out stuff like an apartment at a criminal enterprise like Adarsh by the Netas, unless there is a solid quid pro quo and if you aren't as thick as thieves with them and in bed together.

That DK was a recipient of that largesse just makes it even worse. Papa Khobragade should be brought to book in India. US of course stays out of it.

In some ways, the US problem is that they picked the wrong target. If they had picked up a traditional IFS type (upper caste and apolitical), they could have gotten away with it and also milked the "Upper Caste oppressing the Daleeet" angle. Here they picked a very political SC/ST woman and it blew up on their faces big time. Obviously, the American mind with it's cliched middle school and rubbish media based knowledge of India with it's cliches and stereotypes possibly cannot grasp that DK was what she was and NOT "Upper Caste" . Big mistake.

[Karan Dixit]

Also, why were the Richards kids arrested?

The husband was asked to come to the station to talk to his wife over the long-distance phone, that's all. Took the kids along. Free phone call. The "arrested" is per "the witness".

The wife was absconding for months, remember. So it was natural for the police to ask if the family had heard from her, to track her. Note that a woman goes shopping in NYC and does not return, and there was no particular panic at what happened - they seem to have known that it was a case of skipping out, not foul play by someone else.

This is all about the Democrat/ White House Domestic Worker scam, they were clearly targeting India to pander to the labor unions and commie lobbies. Out and out conspiracy. I think India should throw the kitab at them. This really makes me very angry to think I voted for BO the first time.

I am relieved to learn that Richards were not arrested. Trust me, it bothered me to even imagine that GOI officials from judiciary would do a thing like that. My bad for falling for stuff like that.

[Karan Dixit]

Oh, I am sure that papa Khobragade reeks of being corrupt to the core. No one gets doled out stuff like an apartment at a criminal enterprise like Adarsh by the Netas, unless there is a solid quid pro quo and if you aren't as thick as thieves with them and in bed together.

That DK was a recipient of that largesse just makes it even worse. Papa Khobragade should be brought to book in India. US of course stays out of it.

In some ways, the US problem is that they picked the wrong target. If they had picked up a traditional IFS type (upper caste and apolitical), they could have gotten away with it and also milked the "Upper Caste oppressing the Daleeet" angle. Here they picked a very political SC/ST woman and it blew up on their faces big time. Obviously, the American mind with it's cliched middle school and rubbish media based knowledge of India with it's cliches and stereotypes possibly cannot grasp that DK was what she was and NOT "Upper Caste" . Big mistake.

I do not think there is anything to investigate on papa Khobragade unless it turns out that Richards (the husband and kids) were arrested unjustly on his behest. It does not seem like it was the case.

This should serve as a reminder to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on perils of deviating from reciprocal protocols when dealing with nations. Also, we should as a poor country never lose sight of importance of tax collection. AES is not the only private commercial operation which is cheating Indian people. There are many more. Those money that Indians are being cheated out of could be used to make the lives of thousands if not millions much better.

[KLNMurthy]

How can they investigatively detain someone, instead of just going for chai-biskoot at their house? Baaaad mistake in this case. I guess I am imagining a free land of constitutional protections where Stupid Cows can roam the streets wearing the Diplomatic ID of the US of A, not the reality of Dera Sonia Khan. But yes, that would explain it, and it would have sent them into panic.

IANAL, but IIRC, under the Indian system you can be detained (in police custody as approved by a magistrate) for a limited time for investigation. There is also, IIRC an earlier stage where a suspect can be kept in police lock-up prior to being produced before a magistrate. (There is, again IIRC, another earlier phase when the suspect is in police lockup but not not registered, and this is where torture & custodial deaths occur, and that part would be illegal under Indian system).

So, the portrayal of SR's family being arbitrarily detained due to UK's influence is not correct IMO. UK's influence may have been there no doubt (think of victim's rights advocacy in the US--law allows family of crime victim to participate in the investigative process to some extent and demand action), but most likely the steps taken by Delhi pulis are in keeping with their rights of investigation.

Even in the US, laws like RICO (Racketeer-Influenced Criminal Organizations) Act give police very broad powers to detain associates, kith & kin of alleged racketeers, conspirators etc., as well as to confiscate property. This is a law that is very borderline with respect to 4th amendment (prohibition of unreasonable search and seizure). Patriot Act gives even more powers to law enforcement. There are many cases of abuse of RICO and Patriot Act in the US. Preet Bharara is very well aware of all this. He and the US media propagandists are dirty scoundrels because they are counting on aam Indians not being knowledgeable about the way the law and the system works, either in the US or in India, and being snowed by the BS that US is a society of laws whereas India is a junglee backward unruly place.

[Rony]

Nandita "Nandy" Berry (real name Nandita Vekateshwaran), a Telugu/Andhraite was appointed as secretary of state for Texas. She is the first Indian-American to hold such position. She married a conservative talk radio host Micheal Berry and converted and became Southern Baptist.

[KLNMurthy]

Is it my computer or the blog? I can not read it. The background color and the font color are too close and the print is practically invisible ( I am color blind). Is there a way of changing the background color or the font color?

Check the "read as text" link.

[KLNMurthy]

I was all sold on the espionage angle till Ulan Batori raised the question of arrest of Richards family in Delhi. I think he makes a valid point. I do not know about New Delhi but in our Kolkata, police does not go around arresting people while they are investigating something. Police usually shows up at the door with their queries, they are usually invited in for Chai/Samos/Rasgullah and the conversation ensues. If U Khobragade had any hand in the arrest of an innocent man then that needs to be investigated. India is not the personal estate of corrupt babus. This point needs to be hammered.

I think chai-biskoot vs station-session may be a matter of discretion of the police. Agreed that there is an expectation that police will behave properly with citizens when investigating and they could get in trouble with a magistrate if they exceed their bounds. Again, IANAL but I think if an FIR is filed, the police are within their rights in detaining someone for investigation for a limited period. IIRC there is no blanket prohibition against detaining someone without charges as in the US (even that blanket prohibition is diluted by statues like RICO and Patriot Acts, which are okayed by US supreme court).

[KLNMurthy]

Ok.

UB, Here is the first mention of the husband being arrested in Delhi. Quotes a ReDiff report.

http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 8#p1559698

This article gives a good insight into what actually happened. The whole episode is much simpler than what I imagined it to be.

Unfortunately, however, the article does not disclose the reason husband Richards was arrested. Also, why were the Richards kids arrested? More and more I think about it, I do not like the papa Khobragade. Now that the daughter Khobragade is back and safe in India, I think we owe it ourselves to investigate what actually happened.

Here is a task for Times of India: Investigate papa Khobragade and his role in the arrest of Richards.

---

BTW, Uttam Khobragade is running for Lok Sabha: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes ... a-election

I don't see any justification for detaining the child either, assuming it was actually done. I think we can agree that UK was exercising his power & influence for his daughter's cause. My thought is that this is done in the US as well, all the time, when something untoward happens to anyone in the family and police are involved, calls are made, and strings are pulled to make things to forward in the direction that the family members want. The more influential families win and those without pull lose out.

I think it is dishonest for Americans to claim that influence-mongering and interference in police cases happens only in India and never in the US, and it is silly and naive of us to buy that story.

[Vayutuvan]

This really makes me very angry to think I voted for BO the first time.

For me it is the second time - had to balance women's right choose vs. long hand of socialism and big government reaching out into my pocket and emptying it. Repubs and dems are any which way you lose.

I should have been cautious especially after President Obama pandered to Mumbai elitemen who are bread in the Mumbai equivalent of St. Stephens.