Unlike India, US believes in ‘Justice
for all’
An Indian diplomat in New York was arrested for
giving false information to obtain a visa for her domestic worker, and paying
her less than the local minimum wage. Devyani
Khobragade is not the first Foreign Service officer caught on the wrong end of
the law in the host country.
Exploitative practices against domestic workers are
rampant in India. In the West, as minimum wages are fixed, and translate into
much more than what they would pay back home Indians end up taking “the help”
with them on Indian wages, sometimes even showing her as a member of the family
for visa purposes.
The Ministry of External Affairs should put
an end to the practice of its officials taking domestic staff with them abroad.
It is true that the dramatic manner of the arrest,
which included handcuffing, is unusual treatment for any person, even if one
were to disregard her consular status. But exploitation of human beings, in
contravention of the law of the land, needs to be criminally prosecuted, no
matter who the offender is. Exploiting another vulnerable human being is a
grievous offense.
Bureaucrats representing our country should not
violate the law of the land they are posted in and cause embarrassment to
parent country.
The problem is that bureaucrats in India
just do not think that they have to obey rules. They think that these laws are
made for the teeming millions for crowd control. We think the whole world will appreciate this. In US it is not that
easy to break law, and if caught, to escape punishment.
When in Rome be a Roman. Similarly one has to abide
by the laws of the land where one lives. And clearly this diplomat has violated
the laws. Hence there's no point reacting to the action that the American
authorities took in this case.
Diplomats are to represent their country, its
values, honor and dignity. It is shameful reflection on the country when such
people represent their country. For as long this kind of behaviour persists,
India, sad to say, will not only remain a third world but also a third rate
country.
If you commit crime, you face the time. Let the
courts decide the quantum of her punishment if any and let the government take
some action and avoid future such occurrences.
If the allegation is true then the officer should be
dismissed and allowed to serve the punishment awarded to her to serve as a
warning for others who not only commit a crime but debase the country too.
Some are of the opinion there is need to educate the
diplomats. How can one assume that such senior diplomats are uneducated about
the law in a nation? Before passing strictures against Indian Diplomats let the
judiciary arrive at a verdict first and don't oppose US action just for the
sake of opposing.
Indian diplomats and bureaucrats think they are
still living in the British raj. No wonder they are despised as much as our
politicians. This lady seems to be getting her just desserts. The Indian
government should not interfere and let her fight her own case.
Fully support the action of the US authorities. They
upheld the law of country. Actually the people should be outraged that
"why the same spirit is not shown by the keepers of Law in our own
country".
The consular staff has brought shame, and nothing
else, to country in her desire to save money on foreign deputation. This
incident should serve as example for others to conduct themselves better as
representative of the country.
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