Divayani Khobragade, Deputy Counsel General of Indian Consulate to USA |
Regarding
human rights, India is one of those countries in which despite of claims of
secularism and democracy, lower caste Hindus and minorities have nowhere to
take refuge. These vulnerable segments of society remain unaware that for what
crime Hindu extremists have attacked their dwelling places. Riots, murders and
burning of property of lower caste Hindus are routine matters in India. Whole
world is aware of atrocities committed in Indian Held Kashmir despite of
ignorance and criminal silence of the international community. Especially
regarding sexual torture, gang rapes and other crimes against women India stands
in the top row, whether these are gang rapes by Indian soldiers in Indian Held
Kashmir or other states fighting for their freedom or including New Delhi other
big cities of India gang rapes of girls and murdering them after rape; after
reading such tragic incidents one gets shocked that in todays developed era
there is a country namely India where woman is still treated as “COMMODITY”.
But
this does not mean that one should remain silent over the insult and inhuman
treatment of an Indian woman in USA. This is not the insult of just an Indian
woman but of the whole humanity (that is a routine matter in those areas under
control of US and Western Invading forces like Iraq, Afghanistan etc.). Such an
inhuman treatment of a woman in the hands of a nation that claims to be the
torch bearer and protector of human rights all over the world. Indian Deputy
Counsel General may have been arrested out of her house but her arrest out of
her children’s school in Manhattan at such a time when she arrived there to
drop her daughter at school. There cannot be something more insulting to a
mother that she is arrested in front of her daughter and other children and
handcuffed like culprits without considering that what would be the impact on
the innocent mind of her daughter especially when her class-fellows will
question her that what the crime of her mother was.
In
the morning of 11 December 2013, Divyani Khobragade, Deputy Counsel General of
Indian Consulate at USA was arrested by New York Police and took her to Police
Station. In the Police Station 3 American Police Men stripped her nude in front
of other police men in order to body search her; in the way she was forced to
lay on the floor naked in front of so many men makes one feel ashamed. The most
painful aspect is that whole of this procedure was filmed as well in which
cries of a powerless can be heard as well. After watching this clip one gets a
touch of the real American culture and the scene of old “Cow Boy” films comes
into the mind in which such scenes were often included in which few American
boys abduct a lonely women and strip and rape her for enjoyment. The video
regarding naked body and cavity search of Indian diplomat has been telecasted
by CNN.
Arrest
of Indian diplomat in USA, the rift created in between US-Indian relations,
American stubbornness to punish Indian diplomat at all costs, order of Indian
govt. to remove all facilities given to US diplomats in India for which US
diplomats are not entitled and removal
of concrete blocks outside of US Embassy placed for security purposes by Indian
officials is not so simple as it appears. The intensity tension in US-India relations
could be imagined from the statement of US Foreign Ministry after arrival of
Divayani to India that allegations against Divayani are still present; after
arrival in India her diplomatic immunity has come to end so her arrest warrants
can be issued any time. Interesting fact is that husband of Divayani, Akash
Rathore is an Indian borne US citizen and now a days teaching in University of Pennsylvania
as Professor. Divayani alone has returned to India, her both children are
living in USA along with their father.
Divayani
is facing charges of harassment and telling lie regarding the per hour charges
she paid to her maid. Here the question arises, are these charges so much
serious that US Officials created such a big heck? Or there are other facts
behind all this abuse of a female in the hands of Americans that are still
veiled. We will discuss these facts later, I would like to summarize the
missing of Divayani’s maid, FIR registered against her in India and how she
reached USA which are much complicated as well as interesting.
39
years old Diavayani joined Indian Foreign Services in 1999. Her father Utam
Khobragade also belongs to “DMG” group and her family has long relations with Indian
Bureaucracy. Divayani requested a visa to US embassy in November 2012 for her
42 year old maid Sangeeta belonging to Kerala; US embassy issued A-3 visa to
Sangeeta which allowed her to visit and stay anywhere in USA. Sangeeta’s
husband Philip works in Mozambique’s embassy in New Delhi as driver while
Philip’s father is an old employee of US embassy in India and Philip’s mother
had been also working as maid of Senior US Diplomat from 2002 to 2007.
So
on the one hand there is Khobragade family belonging to Indian bureaucracy and
on the other hand there is Sangeeta’s family working in different embassies for
long time. Approximately 2 months before her arrest in New York Divayani contacted
Court in New Delhi and registered a case against Sangeeta that she has been
missing since 21st June 2013 but US govt. is not providing her any
help to locate her maid. Indian Court issued arrest warrants of Sangeeta
(Divayani’s maid) to US embassy so that US govt. should arrest and handover her
to Indian govt. on 10 December 2013, Sangeeta’s husband Philip along with his
two children arrives USA on T-Visa to search for her wife. Interesting fact is
that all expenses of boarding and lodging of Philip are borne by USA; on 2nd
day of Philip’s arrival Divayani is arrested, stripped and cavity searched by
American policemen; protests in India over abuse and harassment of their
diplomat was natural.
Indian
govt. bans beauty Parlour, Restaurant, Bowling Club and all other business
activities in US embassy at New Delhi and demands details of income of spouses
of US Embassy diplomats from jobs in India along with taxes paid to Indian govt.
All this was reaction to Divayani’s abuse in USA. However, from this a shocking
reality was revealed that despite being only Super Power of the World how much
USA is deprived of moral and diplomatic values. USA does not care about the culture
and cultural values of other nations nor she considers herself bound by
diplomatic rules and regulations. Americans that commit act of murder or
terrorism in any country, USA will never let the law of that country bring Americans
to trial.
What
would be more shameful aspect than this that despite of taking handsome of
salary and luxuries, spouses of US diplomats converted US embassy in beauty
parlor and other business activities but they are also involved in providing
service to different schools etc. for heavy salaries; the income collected from
such activities were either not known to the host country or everyone closed
their eyes closed in order to fulfill friendship with USA. Of course, including
Pakistan in many other countries such activities in US embassies would be going
on as well. Although this is internal affair of every country but is not this
duality of standards that for the charges for which Divayani was subject to
such brutal insult; American diplomats are involved in all such atrocities
considering them as their right?
Divayani
had arrived home, the rift between USA and India over Divayani’s will also
subside with passage of time but during all this US resources have alleged that
Divayani was working as operator of RAW under the garb of a diplomat. Although Indian
and American media had avoided discussing such allegations; Pakistani media
also did not felt any need to go for the reason behind it. The rift between USA
and India mutual partners over South Asia especially Afghanistan is of grave
significance for which an Indian women was sacrificed.
However,
Indians should have realized that Americans are friends of no one; Americans can
make one father of their nation on need and after fulfillment of purpose they
will destroy their own heroes. So India in spite of becoming a dispensable tool
in the hands of America to fulfill her dream of becoming the Don of Asia, should
consider rights of her neighboring countries and pay attention to resolve
problems created by herself…
Written by Khalid Baig,
Published in Daily Nawa-i-Waqt,
Date: 17 January 2014.
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