United States and prominent Indian Americans who have adopted the United States as their country stand diminished in Indian public perceptions for their deafening silence in not strongly criticising the inhuman, sexually debasing and barbaric treatment meted out to a lady Indian senior diplomat posted as Deputy Consul General in New York. Deafeningly silent also is the Boloji web-site in that none of its contributors have raised the issue in their writings ill the time of this writing.
India stands greatly incensed by the reluctance of the US Administration to express apologies for the “horrific and barbaric” treatment meted out to the Indian Deputy Consul General in New York of being handcuffed publicly, thereafter strip-searched and subjected to “cavity -searched” too.
The United States Administration cannot take the excuse that US Marshalls were following Standard Operating Procedures. Is sexual debasement of a woman and not only violating her human rights but also violating her person and body intrusively sanctioned by US human rights procedures?
After initial reluctance, the Indian Foreign Minister had to bow to the force of Indian public opinion and summon courage to launch a strong condemnation in the Indian Parliament of the United States official machinery on being insensitive not only towards Indian diplomats but worse still towards women in general.
The Indian Government in response to the anger of the Indian public opinion ad to initiate strong measures against the US Embassy in India and US diplomats stationed in India on the basis of reciprocity. The most visible step noticeably being the removal of security barricades which had cut off a stretch of the Nyaya Marg on the Consular side of the US Embassy.
Indians always resented the Viceregal deference being given to the US Embassy only by stopping public access and movement through a public thoroughfare.
The United States State Department and the rest of the US Administration need to recognise that India is neither a banana republic nor a vassal state like Pakistan existing on US doles.
I have been reflecting in my writings here and elsewhere that US-India Strategic Partnership has been on a downslide and also that in the contemporary strategic setting in Asia, it is the United States which needs India more than India needing the United States.
India can no longer be taken for granted by the United States as waiting in the wings is a highly nationalistic and assertive India’s Generation Next which will not kow-tow to the United States imperiousness and an India which would demand respect for its sensitivities.
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