US actions against Devyani unwarranted, excessive: IFS Association

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posted on 10 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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The association was firmly of the view that the conduct of the US authorities violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963.

New Delhi: Indian Foreign Service Association on Wednesday backed Indian Deputy Consul General Devyani Khobragade and voiced its strongest condemnation and outrage at the arrest and shameful treatment meted out by the US authorities to her.

The association was firmly of the view that the conduct of the US authorities violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963 and in violation of accepted norms and practice between civilised states. The association said, "Such an action is unwarranted, excessive and exceptionable and not in keeping with or conducive to the development of India's friendly, wide ranging and cooperative relations with the United States based on mutual respect.

Earlier, India has charged USA with planning the arrest of Devyani Khobragade in an alleged case of visa fraud related to her domestic help Sangeeta Richards. To ensure diplomatic immunity to Devyani, India has shifted her to the United Nations Permanent Mission in New York.

Devyani will have to apply for UN accreditation which in turn will need US State Department's approval. Now she will get full diplomatic immunity, not the limited one as a consular official.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said, "We are confident that our message which is loud and clear will be heard, we are two countries which have good relations. An aberration of this kind and departure from past is something we wouldn't want."

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) while pointing out that the US should have handled the matter quietly and not publicly arrested, strip searched and put Devyani in a lockup with common criminals said that summons in the case should have been sent through diplomatic channels.

According to Indian officials the immigration fraud was carried out by Sangeeta Richards and not Devyani. Richards's husband and two children flew out of India on Air India 101 to New York on December 10 after they had got visas from US authorities and the entire thing was planned by US Department of Justice two days before Devyani was arrested.