"This kind of behaviour against the Indian diplomat, a young woman with two children is entirely unacceptable," says Indian foreign ministry spokesperson. PHOTO: FILE
Ambassador Nancy Powell was summoned to a meeting with Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, the day after the detention of deputy consul general Devyani Khobragade, ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told AFP.
"We are shocked and appalled at the way she had been humiliated and this will be taken up forcefully with the US," said Akbaruddin.
"She was pursuing her duties and is entitled to courtesies of a serving diplomat.
"This kind of behaviour against the Indian diplomat, a young woman with two children is entirely unacceptable."
Indian media reports said that the New York-based Khobragade was arrested and handcuffed in public for allegedly lying on the US visa application for an Indian national who worked for her as a domestic help.
The Indian embassy in Washington said the detention was based on "allegations raised by the officer's former India-based domestic assistant".
The domestic worker had "absconded" from her employer in June and was already the subject of an injunction issued by the High Court in Delhi, the embassy added in a statement on its website.
"The legal aspect of it is separate and there is no justification for what has happened to the young woman," added Akbaruddin at a briefing with reporters in New Delhi.
In response to a question that the diplomat has been accused of forging a visa or other documents, the spokesperson said that did not justify Khobragade's treatment.
"It still doesn't absolve the US authorities of traumatising and humiliating the Indian diplomat who was doing her duties in the US," Akbaruddin said.
"We are confident that we will be able to justify our stand on this issue," he added.
In its statement, the embassy said the US authorities had already been made aware of the injunction from the Delhi court and had been asked to "facilitate the service of an arrest warrant" against the domestic worker.
"The US side have been urged to resolve the matter with due sensitivity, taking into account the existing court case in India that has already been brought to their attention by the government of India, and the diplomatic status of the officer concerned," it said.
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@Insaan: Two words for you, mate: Boo Hoo.
@Adnan: If the criteria of lying on Visa application is applied, most Pakistanis lie and should be deported back to Pakistan. Have you heard about diplomatic immunity?
Do you remember US entered Pakistani space and killed Osama Bin Laden? Pakistan did not arrest any one. Mr Davis shot 2 Pakistanis who were supposedly following him and Pakistan could do nothing
@Lala Gee: Well if the servant is Indian passport holder and on a diplomatic derivative VISA, diplomat/Embassy should have a right to get her VISA cancelled. US should not get involved. If there is a problem US should provide safe home and deport the domestic servant.
@I am a Khan: Majority of Visa applicants, especially from countries like Pakistan lie to get a US visa and/or green card. Exceptions are people sponsored for Green card by relatives or diplomats. Majority of these domestic workers are eager to come to US under any conditions. Once in US they start crying foul. US congress and Senate needs to review the situation. Diplomats should not be allowed to abuse domestic servants. At the same time domestic servants should be deported right away if there is a problem. Domestic servants manipulate their employers and USCIS to get their status legalized and get green card.
@I am a Khan:
India is not contesting her innocence or guilt in the case. It is saying that she cannot be arrested or prosecuted as she is a diplomat and a representative of India. Therefore she is covered by international laws of DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY from arrest or prosecution, even if she violated US laws.
@Lala Gee:
The US attorney who ordered her arrest is India-born Indian-American Preet Bharrara. So where is the case of "puncturing" India's ego and showing its place.
A criminal is a criminal and she should have been declared persona non grata and immediately deported. Why the sob story about a woman dropping her kids off at school? Does that mean she's above the law?
@ I am a khan You are right. Respect the law of the land. But if you don't know there is another law which says diplomats have immunity from the law of the land they are posted in. Hence they can only be kicked out and tried in their home countries.
"The domestic worker had “absconded” from her employer in June and was already the subject of an injunction issued by the High Court in Delhi, the embassy added in a statement on its website."
This is the most ridiculous part of the story. Isn't it? Under what law Delhi High Court can force someone to work for somebody, especially when the employer is not fulfilling her part of the contract?
The reality is US just wanted to needle the ballooned ego of Indians, and showed them their real place. That's all they wanted. It wouldn't matter even if they release the diplomat, as they have to due to her diplomatic immunity.
I have no problem with US authorities arresting this Indian Diplomat for what she did. You cannot lie on a visa application and if a diplomat does it, it is far worse. Essentially, this was human trafficking.
However, the US authorities may have arrested her at her home instead of on the public streets. Also, the Indian Embassy would have known months earlier about the maid the diplomat has employed at her home. They should have brought the diplomat back to India earlier and not allowed her to continue her employment at the embassy. It is stupidity on the part of India.
did I not hear Indians on this website say 'Respect the law of the land or leave the place'? US of A has its laws and if this diplomat with playing foul with the Visa laws of her servant, then she had to be arrested. no one should be above the law. I for once support the US authorities in this case, as a matter of principle.