India launches diplomatic offensive against U.S.

[LoPro4u2c]

India retaliates against US over diplomat arrest, removes security barriers at embassyPublished December 17, 2013FoxNews.comFacebook953 Twitter298 LinkedIn9

Dec. 17, 2013: Indian police remove barricades that had been erected as a safety measure outside the main entrance of the U.S Embassy in New Delhi, reportedly in retaliation for the alleged mistreatment of an Indian diplomat.AP

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The Indian government retaliated Tuesday against the United States for the recent arrest and strip search of an Indian envoy -- going so far as to remove the concrete barriers at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and, reportedly, demanding American diplomats return their ID cards.

The clash between the two supposed allies escalated rapidly on the heels of last week's arrest of Devyani Khobragade, India's deputy consul general, in New York. She was accused of submitting false documents to obtain a work visa for her Manhattan housekeeper.

But Indian officials claimed she was arrested Thursday as she dropped off her daughter at school, kept in a cell with drug addicts before posting $250,000 bail, and strip-searched. The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed Tuesday that she had been strip-searched. This treatment in particular fueled outrage in India, and contributed to the diplomatic stand-off on Tuesday.

The Indian Express, a major Indian newspaper, reported Tuesday that U.S. consular staff and their families were told to return their ID cards, and that American officials were asked for detailed information about Indians they employed. The newspaper also reported that the demands could be a "precursor" to reviewing other immunity and benefits of American officials in India.

Press Trust of India reported that the Indian government also moved to withdraw airport passes for American diplomats. Further, police removed the traffic barricades near the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, a demand by the Indian government in retaliation for Khobragade's treatment, PTI reported. The barriers were a safety measure.

"We got orders to remove the concrete barriers," said Amardeep Sehgal, station house officer of the Chanakyapuri police station, the one nearest the embassy. "They were obstructing traffic on the road." He refused to say who had given the orders.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf voiced concern Tuesday about the security barriers, stressing that U.S. officials have made clear to their Indian counterparts "that they need to keep providing security."

Amid the outrage in India, though, the State Department tried to downplay the developments.

"The United States and India enjoy a broad and deep friendship, and this isolated episode is not indicative of the close and mutually respectful ties we share," Harf said in a statement on Tuesday. "We understand that this is a sensitive issue for many in India. Accordingly, we are looking into the intake procedures surrounding this arrest to ensure that all appropriate procedures were followed and every opportunity for courtesy was extended."

She said Monday that "standard procedures" were followed during the arrest last week. She noted that the official had consular immunity, which is distinct from diplomatic immunity.

"So in this case, she fell under that specific kind of immunity, and would be liable to arrest pending trial pursuant a felony arrest warrant," she said.

The U.S. Marshals Service, to which Khobragade was transferred after her arrest, said in a statement Tuesday that "standard arrestee intake procedures were followed."

The statement appeared to confirm the claim that she was strip-searched. "Yes, Devyani Khobragade was subject to the same search procedures as other USMS arrestees held within the general prisoner population in the Southern District of New York," the statement said, in response to that question. The statement also said she was placed in "general population" as prisoners typically are.

The Marshals Service did not comment on whether the arrest was justified as it "was not the arresting agency."

Indian Foreign Secretary Sujata Singh summoned U.S. Ambassador Nancy Powell to register a complaint.

India's National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon slammed Khobragade's treatment in New York.

"It is despicable and barbaric," he said.

Prosecutors in New York say Khobragade, 39, claimed she paid her Indian maid $4,500 per month but actually paid her less than the U.S. minimum wage. In order for diplomats and consular officers to get a visa for their personal employees, known as an A-3 visa, they must show proof that the applicant will receive a fair wage, comparable to employment in the U.S., U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement last week.

Federal prosecutors say Khobragade told the housekeeper she would be paid 30,000 rupees per month -- about $573, or $3.31 per hour. The woman worked for the family from about November 2012 through June 2013, and said she worked far more than 40 hours per week and was paid even less than 30,000 rupees, prosecutors said.

Khobragade has pleaded not guilty and plans to challenge the arrest on grounds of diplomatic immunity, her lawyer said last week.

If convicted, Khobragade faces a maximum sentence of 10 years for visa fraud and five years for making a false declaration.

Her case quickly became a major story in India, with politicians urging diplomatic retaliation and TV news channels showing the woman in a series of smiling family photos.

The fallout from the arrest was growing. On Tuesday, Indian political leaders from both the ruling party and the opposition refused to meet with the U.S. congressional delegation in New Delhi. The Indian government said it was "shocked and appalled at the manner in which the diplomat had been humiliated" in the U.S.

Among the officials who refused to meet with the U.S. delegation was Narendra Modi, chief minister of Gujarat and the front-runner in the race to be India's next prime minister.

"Refused to meet the visiting USA delegation in solidarity with our nation, protesting ill-treatment meted to our lady diplomat in USA," Modi tweeted.

Controversy surrounding Modi already has stirred tension between some Indian officials and the U.S. As Modi heads into next year's election, some in Congress are voicing support for a 2005 State Department decision to deny Modi a visa to the United States - over his alleged role in Muslim-Hindu riots in his state in 2002.

Sanjay Puri, chairman of the U.S. India Political Action Committee in Washington, D.C., voiced concern Tuesday about the status of the U.S.-India relationship.

"I think we have caused some damage to U.S.-India relations," he told FoxNews.com, citing statements made about Modi but also the ongoing dispute over Khobragade's arrest. He questioned whether her treatment during the arrest was "justified."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013...cmp=latestnews

ROFL! The same country who treats Western women like sh1t and rapes them. U.S. Government should retaliate by the following: If any of our women get raped in India, then we should hold the government of India personally responsible.

[MadeFromDust]

Nuke their ass

[Andrew Wiggins]

the usa is the same country that has repeated incidents of sikhs getting killed because the dumbass rednecks think they're muslims. gtfo with moral high ground bullshit

Nuke their ass

they have nukes too moron

[Patrick Chewing]

Oh those Punjabi Singh mother****ers want some of this??

We'll give you a one-way ticket to your eight-armed Gods!!

[LoPro4u2c]

In B4 USA Media Propaganda of India's treatment of women starts making front page news all of a sudden.

[9erempiree]

Why the outrage from the members of ISH? If you guys saw what she looked like, you would understand why I strip search was done.

It must be done.

[Scholar]

This is what the Indian diplomat looks like, btw:

[9erempiree]

It has to be done. Swabbing and cavity searches is a must.

http://www.glofocus.com/wp-content/u...gn-Service.jpg

[bdreason]

Deport her and her housekeeper. Problem solved.

[Fawker]

i love samosa and tandori chicken.

[East_Stone_Ya]

do they have demokracy there? if not......

[Dresta]

Wow India has no respect for their women, even female politicians their dress in skimpy clothing

I never liked India or Indians matter of fact. I used to work in subway and whenever a stupid indian would come in they'd be like "Can you change your gloves" with their annoying indian accent. Then I'd be like "sure" while I'm picturing myself in my head jumping over the damn counter to beat that guy's ass. Even when we had a long line going out the door indians would always ask me "can you change your glove?" Talk about being incosiderate, I'm sorry that you don't like meat because it's against your damn religion or whatever but their's no point in me changing my gloves. For f*cks sake, We cut the bread then load meat on the sandwhich then stick our meat tainted hands in the veggie cambro. The veggie's are already tainted with the essence of meat there's no point in changing my gloves it's just a waste of my time, your time, and everyone who's waiting in line time. Indians aren't the smartest bunch are they?

Grats on reducing over a billion people to the handful that you have met or had any experience with.

Have you even been to India? Or do you just dislike it by default due to it harbouring so many Indians?

[Nick Young]

Goddamn crook! $3.31 an hour? WTF is that shit? She deserves to be arrested for trying to fool the US government!

[BurningHammer]

Certain amount of Indians are known to be extremely cheap yet demanding for services.

[Nick Young]

Grats on reducing over a billion people to the handful that you have met or had any experience with.

Have you even been to India? Or do you just dislike it by default due to it harbouring so many Indians?

I've been there and the very air smelled bad. I went to villages where they're just sitting on 10KG sacks of weed as if they were potatos(not saying its a bad or good thing, just saying).

Traffic stops for a cow crossing the road (not a myth it happened loads of times)

Around all the cool stuff there are 10 million beggers with nasty deformities cus their parents broke their legs when they were babies so they'd grow up to be better beggars.

Everywhere you go you get surrounded by 10 million smelly kids who put flowers on you then try to demand money.

Instead of squirrels they got giant monkeys roaming around who could probably murder you if you wanted to, and jump around trees and roof tops in packs, and they do mess with humans and steal their shit sometimes.

The cities smelled.

The country and temples were really beautiful. Most of the people were nice but acted really meek and submissive. They had cool dance parties and clubs.

I went to Bombay, Jaipur, Delhi and alot of the northern region of India and was there 3 weeks.

Some of the stuff I said isn't politically correct, but I'm just being honest. It was a pretty country, lots of the people were friendly, but otherwise it was hellish.