WHAT'S WRONG WITH US (PUN INTENDED)!

Issues in recent diplomatic row with US. (All points taken from official statements of office bearers in India and USA, are authentic and not hearsay or media reports)

1) US laws violated by Dr Deviyani regarding wages contracted and paid to her maid.

2) Unilaterally a case was built up by US State and Legal departments against Dr Deviyani a diplomat of foreign country on official assignment for last few months/ weeks / days but higher ups in Indian Embassy / Consulate not brought into loop as per convention. Maid has not even filed a case I believe.

3) Indian concerns ignored since Jun- Jul 13 by US - arrest warrant by an Indian court against maid not complied with and FIR lodged against her having absconding allegedly after theft not followed upon.

4) Maid given illegal shelter in US since Jun- Jul 13 including "rescuing" her family from India on valid US visa on 10 Dec 13 without informing Indian authorities.
 
5) A foreign diplomat with or without diplomatic immunity arrested in such a dramatic fashion from outside her child's school in view of other children, school staff and other parents, without caring for sensitivities involved (why was she not arrested from her residence if Consulate is out of bounds for US police ?)

6) Diplomatic immunity to her is subject to interpretation of the Vienna Convention by Haves and NOT Havenots (remember even a US contractor not from diplomatic corps of USA in Pakistan had such immunity as per USA)

7) Subjecting her to higher end of spectrum of "Standard Operating Procedures" of handcuffing, strip search / cavity search and detention in "available cell" for an offense which does not cause national security issue for US or even caused any monetary loss to US treasury is beyond logic. Was Rajat Gupta or Davey also subjected to such a cavity search?

The whole issue is NOT if Dr Deviyani is guilty or not 
       or if she belongs to middle class / dalit category 
       or how we treat our servants in India 
       or how law less we Indians are with scant regard to law
       or how we have a VIP culture of privileges and two sets of laws for haves and havenots
       or even who enjoys diplomatic immunity for what all acts and Standard Procedures etc.

The issue is about how we Indians behave and how the world sees us
                  and what position India has in the comity of nations
                  and why should it come down to present situation.

We need to introspect our behavior internationally which will explain rationale of how other nations treat us. Just to remind a few besides the current issue of cavity search of Dr Deviyani:-
- Ex President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's strip search at US airport (am not worried about bollywood stars and politians)
- Illegal detention of Capt James by Govt of Togo
- Beheading of two soldiers by Pakistan Army on LC
- Intrusions and arrest of Indians by China on LAC
- Carriage like a goat on a pole of body of a BSF jawan killed by Bangladesh Rangers
- Killing of fishermen by marines from Italy and their refusal to come back after christmas

Solutions:-
1) A practical long term foreign policy with certain bottom lines above which it can be as flexible as any party's Govt may want. My suggestion is that the foreign policy makers of India must base foreign policy on the following ‘Three Pronged’ strategy:-

(a)       Three Spheres of Interest
(i)      Immediate Neighbours
(ii)     Indian Ocean Region
(iii)    World As A Whole

(b)       Three Planes of Activities
(i)     National Security
(ii)    National Development
(iii)   National Pride

(c)        Three Lines of Engagements
(i)      Economic Interdependence– Regional & International
(ii)     Development of Bargain Power – Economic, Military, Knowledge & Nuclear
(iii)    Ensuring Muti-polarity of World Order



2)  Hold economic measures as trump cards to be used as tools for leverage. They need us more than we need them. FDI and exim policies need to have in built national factors. Economic relations with nations other than big five can become a Consortium and cause financial coups and moderate the world economy. Quota in IMF for US is 17 %  while India, Brazil , Russia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Korea and Spain combined is more than that. Add 4 % of China and you have a consortium to take on big five.

3)  Don't devalue military power due to internal power struggle by politicians and bureaucrats. Have a credible military and nuclear deterrence based on highly motivated force which is not looked down upon or belittled every now and then.

JAI HIND.

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