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Upon her departure a warrant may be issued for her arrest and should she seek to enter the United States she could be arrested," said a diplomatic note issued by the US mission to the UN.
For those great &%$*#@^* champions of domestic help,this film should remind tham how their ebtire country was the epitome of slavery not too long ago!
A new film about slavery in the US,whose mentality still exists in large manner amongst many of the elite and establishment.Why events like the DK outrage happen to "Injuns".
The horror of slavery – with not a lash spared: Is "12 Years A Slave" too much for America? http://www.independent.co.uk/?CMP=ILC-refresh
Enjoyable is not quite the word for this cinematic experience. Hollywood has taken the odd stab before at tackling America’s original sin. But this latest rendition of Northup’s story pulls not a punch – or more exactly spares not a lash – in its shattering depiction of the ghastliness of slavery. Never before has the brutal reality of the economic system that underpinned the antebellum South been so graphically, at times almost unwatchably, presented.
Its historical accuracy has been vouched for by none other than Henry Louis Gates, the leading and occasionally prickly scholar on black America and its culture, and a consultant for the film. “It was much like studying… and I didn’t have to make any corrections,” he has said, calling it “the best film about slavery ever made from the point of view of a slave”.
This film is to be recommended to every Yanqui tout,our MPs,MLAs and babus.
May be you're right when you say this was sanctioned from the highest levels. But I brought up the Karl's comments because it could be there's no broad bipartisan support for this action. It could even be that Democrats outside the immediate government may not have been totally behind this (folks like Hillary). The interesting point is that unlike previous cases this was treated as a "criminal" case from the very start and not a civil case like the Dayal case, despite the fact that there were initial sexual harassment allegations (which were subsequently dropped). As you say maybe the fact will come out later.
As to your other point, agree 400 per cent.
Given the timeline of planning for this, including involvement of USEND, it would be very naive to explain this away as a few folks acting indepently with an agenda - The TSP equivalent euphemism of non-state actors. This was an intended jhapad. Maybe SD figured that Maun Singh would mumble a few words and the issue would be swept under the carpet. The degree of blowback spiralling out of control was unexpected, just like most Khan initiatives on foreign policy and interventions.
I get the uneasy feeling that behind the scenes the Cursed and Curry all along had an understanding to display their machismo and save H&D with this resolution to a manufactured crisis.
SSridhar wrote:So, basically, the US has clarified that it does not go by Vienna Conventions on Consular Relations, 1963, though it has signed it (but not ratified it)
Talking about reciprocity, India need to give Vienna Convention Consular protections only to those countries that follow the same convention.
RCase wrote:Can someone clarify what the nuance 'signed but not ratified' means? If it is not ratified, does it mean that other countries do not have to accord ANY immunity for US consular staff (not even consular immunity)?
It simply means that the US would demand other countries to accord its consuls all the privileges described in VCCR while reject reciprocity, if the situation so demands (as in this case) claiming its laws alone are applicable. At other 'normal' times, the sending country assumes that the US abides by the VCCR and 'commits' mistakes which are used by the US whenever needed or 'abnormal times' arise.
What India does, others follow, so India has to show the world the way to deal with US. Manmohan Singh and his joke of a cabinet are irrelevant to larger Indian body politic and policymaking, they are not any conscience keepers for India, at the most he can postpone reciprocity. It will come for sure, India may have totally rejected US plans for Afpak region for this jhapad to come about. This is out of Manmohan & his cabinet's hands now.
so i hope that mr bharara will now extend his prosecution to all other diplomats in all other missions in the New York area that he suspects may be underpaying their domestic help brought from their home countries - only fair no? the law applies equally to everyone or so we are told
whilst we are at it, perhaps mr bharara can examine his own department's outsourced cleaning and catering contractors and see if there are any workers there with dubious visa arrangements... the head of the organisation should be held accountable... that would be mr bharara - no?
The US is quite ruthless in using their leverage over Indian assets, primarily wards of high ranking ministers and officians, to achieve its ends. If an alleged US spy Subba Rao could not prevent the incarceration of his son then other Indian assets will have it even worser. The Subba Rao son's episode was built up precisely to serve as a warning shot to Indian mantris/babudom. Hadn't there been Indian public pressure in this case the US would have shown the middle finger to the MEA/GOI just as it did on previous occasions. Question now is why didn't GOI review asymmetrical privileges to US diplomats when APJ Abdul Kalam and GF were subjected to security patdowns. Also if it's true that US unilaterally placed concrete barriers in one out of fours road in front of their embassy when all other roads around it are free for traffic then an investigation should be launched as to how it was allowed in the first place. Obstructing a road by itself is an IPC/MV Act offence and a case needs to be registered immediately against this infraction.
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habal wrote:What India does, others follow, so India has to show the world the way to deal with US.
If that is even slightly true, then India should start a discussion among other countries about US' stance on the VCCR. As part of that it should also try to get that A3 visa (for domestic workers) rules modified so that more and more diplomats are not put into a vulnerable position. At this point, Mr Bharara/SD can still go after turd world country's diplomats, even other Indian diplomats who have maids.
I am seriously stunned at the amount of support for the US position that seems to be coming from India, in the comments sections of these articles...who are these jokers who take this stance ?
Are these AAP supporters as many have surmised - who see every single little issue solely from the anti-corruption, anti-elitism prism ? We seriously need to understand and analyze the mindset of these idiots.....What is Kejriwal's stance on DK for a start ?
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the US will fall back on its position that a law was being violated (technically true) and India will stick to its position that a diplomat was mistreated against convention (also true) regardless of the status of the law infringement. what could have been resolved through quiet discussion has been blown up out of all proportion, i expect everyone will want the matter to 'go away' now - hence the active media management
In contrast to India's bumbling there was perfect synchronization between the US agencies in this. Notice that the charge of human trafficking has been dropped. Putting it there would have meant that the GOI was a party to the trafficking as SR was sent to the US on an Indian Govt passport.
What we need is support to our own as basic rule in diplomacy - which can't be ignored under any excuse (international diplomatic conventions / reciprocity / uniform rule of partially ratified rules / local SOPs in foreign lands). We don't seem to have a view about gazing back and community welfare among desis. There seems to be recurring assaults on Indian ladies outside, which we call 'international' in rather romanticized fashion.
Eg. Case of harassment of Rituparna Ghosh at a Canadian airport, or cases mentioned already here like earlier diplomat Meera Shankar at Mississippi airport where she declared never to come back.
vishvak wrote:What we need is support to our own as basic rule in diplomacy - which can't be ignored under any excuse (international diplomatic conventions / reciprocity / uniform rule of partially ratified rules / local SOPs in foreign lands). We don't seem to have a view about gazing back and community welfare among desis. There seems to be recurring assaults on Indian ladies outside, which we call 'international' in rather romanticized fashion.
Eg. Case of harassment of Rituparna Ghosh at a Canadian airport, or cases mentioned already here like earlier diplomat Meera Shankar at Mississippi airport where she declared never to come back.
Well guys, when our own Hon. Minister compares border incursion by China with Acne, other countries are not sitting blind and deaf. Lackadaisical attitude of GOI about important issues is not lost on others. Just because Shri APJK was NDA President, the incident did not register even as a blip. Even Meera Shankar's episode did not incur any reciprocity. Now cutting back on wine licenses is childish at best.
Mahesh_R wrote:^^ Lets wait for Jan 16 to see if we stick to === basis ....
That would provide a perfect opportunity to launch an attack on Munna Mohan/CON party on this issue .. I mean even if 1 bit of extra benefits are restored.
I only wish the father of DK shuts up. He has already declared victory it seems when in fact as pointed out in the firstpost article this is nothing of that sort.
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The indictment, handed up Thursday in Federal District Court in Manhattan, charged Ms. Khobragade with the same counts, but it also accused her and others of trying to “silence and intimidate the victim and her family and lie to Indian authorities and courts.”
Wow, the US considers lying to Indian authorities and courts a indictable crime in the US! India is surely honoured (FYI: sarcastic mode).
Last June, the indictment said, Ms. Richard visited Ms. Khobragade’s office at the Indian Consulate and said she was unhappy with her work conditions and wanted to return home. Ms. Khobragade refused the request and would not return her passport, the indictment says.
This is contrary to everything we've been told so far.
The indictment, handed up Thursday in Federal District Court in Manhattan, charged Ms. Khobragade with the same counts, but it also accused her and others of trying to “silence and intimidate the victim and her family and lie to Indian authorities and courts.”
Wow, the US considers lying to Indian authorities and courts a indictable crime in the US! India is surely honoured (FYI: sarcastic mode).
Last June, the indictment said, Ms. Richard visited Ms. Khobragade’s office at the Indian Consulate and said she was unhappy with her work conditions and wanted to return home. Ms. Khobragade refused the request and would not return her passport, the indictment says.
This is contrary to everything we've been told so far.
That is why file a file a case against PB and unknown persons in US embassy of trying to harass, intimidate, browbeat Indians in trying to falsely accuse and convict DK in US. Use exactly the same or perhaps more inflammatory language in the charge sheet.
Add a couple of very serious charges that are not even in the US indictment and issue warrants for arrest against all known (PB) and unknown persons in the conspiracy to frame DK.
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pankajs wrote:I only wish the father of DK shuts up. He has already declared victory it seems when in fact as pointed out in the firstpost article this is nothing of that sort.
Given what has been posted here and reported Devyani and her family are congis through and through so they will dance according to queen bee's wishes who will also make our sold out media to shout VICTORY VICTORY and everything will be back to normal. Basically India got GUBOed royally and it couldn't do shit about it.
To save face and show our anger we must immediately order more American military gadgets so that the next time they get to crush our balls in totality.
pankajs wrote:That is why file a file a case against PB and unknown persons in US embassy of trying to harass, intimidate, browbeat Indians in trying to falsely accuse and convict DK in US. Use exactly the same or perhaps more inflammatory language in the charge sheet.
Out of a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being least confident and 10 being full) how much confidently you can say that this will be done by GoI ???
Thought so, take my unsolicited advice and stop getting worked up about this issue by expecting this sold out GoI to take any retaliatory steps. It's not going to happen.
Wow PB assumes extra territorial jurisdictions !!! Lying to Indian courts. Note that Indian courts too can take cognizance of this document and proceed suo moto to apply contempt charges. BTW why are we calling it by the american term of indictment. In Indian terms it is a chargesheet. Similarly through our lenses US is a state that does large scale spying on its people, has the highest gun violence and methamphetamine addiction is rampant. One in seven Americans is a drug addict. It also has the largest prison population and it systematically incarcerates blacks and hispanics to disenfranchise them.
"From the beginning it was clear that American government would not bow down in this case and will do what they wanted. Taking Khobragade back is our defeat, as a case will be registered against her in America," said Sinha.
"Government runs on avouchment, and Indian government's avouchment has ended. Her husband is an American national but she won't be able to go back to America now. There are several matters, for which if the correct language is not used, the country will not understand," he said.
He further said that the American diplomats in India commit a lot of wrong things but get away with it.
"American embassy sent Sangeeta Richard's family to America from here, and we are still not speaking anything. They were our responsibility, we had to save them but they took them away from here," he said.
"We are not taking this issue as seriously as we should. Here, American embassy people have been doing very wrong things, but we never stopped them. We have to tell them that we will reciprocate and will do what they do to us. We have to remove the inferiority complex," said Sinha.
"Today, even if America's smallest minister, a member of parliament, comes to India, we treat him as if President Obama himself has come here," he added.
BJP is equally responsible for the current situation.
Firstly, I do not know if they granted any unilateral privileges to US embassy during their term but they certainly did not withdraw those already granted. Secondly, as the principal opposition party they could have raised merry hell in and outside parliament during previous episodes of American high handedness. But no they and their children too are after the very same US flavors that they accuse CON party of.
However that does not take away the fact that US behavior is certainly not that of a friendly country.
Do not go by the headline. All it means is that GOI is rethinking its options which IMHO is a bad sign. None of the initial demands have been fulfilled and even then return of extra privileges to US diplomats should not happen.
The nearly-month long row over Ms. Khobragade’s treatment during her arrest, in which her lawyer and Indian authorities claim she was strip-searched, has strained U.S.-India ties
All western reports use the word claim when in fact handcuff and strip-search has been confirmed by US Marshall/Prosecutors office. The bias and spin in all western press is self evident.
“So far, they [sanctions] remain unchanged,” an Indian government official familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal Friday. “The order will continue,” the official said
<snip>
On Friday, Indian government officials refused to say whether they were still seeking such an apology. “No decision has been taken yet,” the government official said.
The last sentence is a very bad sign. Without a change in India's position and without an apology from the US the answer should have been in the affirmative.
Sagar G wrote:That's exactly why Namo needs to rein over BJP he will change the whole equation that we have had until now with the western world.
I doubt that very much indeed. He will just be like the others in the BJP, IOW same as MMS and all the others in the Congress party. I have only seen Yashwant Sinha talk anything even slightly from India's point of view among all politicians from the BJP. D4 is so beholden to the dynasty that even thinking of speaking about this issue from the Indian point of view is not possible for them.
saip wrote:But the Desi driver can always be arrested/fined for traffic violations. If the gora intervenes he can be hauled into the Police station until his immunity is verified.
I am hoping for a yank, secure in the "knowledge" that Indian cops are corrupt, attempt to bribe a pandu and then have the hammer dropped on him. I wouldn't object if said pandu did some sort of entrapment by hinting that he is open to being bribed.
This just in:
Reuters India @ReutersIndia 3m
India asks U.S. Embassy in New Delhi to withdraw a diplomat in latest retaliatory measure in diplomatic row - govt official
RCase wrote:
..
Can someone clarify what the nuance 'signed but not ratified' means? If it is not ratified, does it mean that other countries do not have to accord ANY immunity for US consular staff (not even consular immunity)?
IANAL but Executive branch can sign an international agreement but Congress has to "ratify" or accept the signing by a vote, for the agreement to have the status of US law. Signed-but-not-ratified leaves matters in a state of limbo, and it is up to the other country to decide how to handle its side of the agreement as there is no guarantee at all that US considers itself legally bound to hold up its side.
Prasant wrote:This just in:
Reuters India @ReutersIndia 3m
India asks U.S. Embassy in New Delhi to withdraw a diplomat in latest retaliatory measure in diplomatic row - govt official
Saw the flash on CNN IBN. I just want it to be accompanied with lost of garam hawa charges. Lets wait for further details for MEA would certainly assign a reason.
An Indian government official said the U.S. diplomat was involved in the case relating to Devyani Khobragade, the New York-based Indian consular official, that has strained ties between the two countries.
It seems strip search will have to wait for another day.
Prasant wrote:This just in:
Reuters India @ReutersIndia 3m
India asks U.S. Embassy in New Delhi to withdraw a diplomat in latest retaliatory measure in diplomatic row - govt official
We have reason to believe that the (US) officer was closely involved in processes related to case under consideration and the subsequent unilateral action by the US side
