US consulate in Chennai silent on special privileges issue

Former MEA secy backs India’s stance

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The US consulate in Chennai is tight-lipped on India’s withdrawal of special privileges to the consular staff over public humiliation of its Deputy Consul General in New York Devyani Khobragade last week even as former diplomats in the city hailed the move by India stating that America will get the message.

US consulate’s acting Public Affairs Officer Shanna Dietz Surendra said that this isolated episode is not indicative of the close and mutually respectful ties US shares with India and America will continue to work this issue with India in the spirit of partnership and cooperation that marks the broad bilateral relationship.

However, the official did not mention about any withdrawal of privileges to the consular staff.

Former Ministry of External Affairs (West) secretary M Ganapathy said that Indian Foreign Service fraternity is unified in support for Devyani and ratifies the move by the government and parliamentarians to bring back Devyani and restore her dignity.

He said that the move by Ministry of External Affairs is carefully thought out and keeping in view what a sovereign state should do.

Ganapathy said that the entire way the United States behaved with Devyani was ‘boorish’ and ‘unacceptable’ and contrary to the provisions of the Vienna Convention.

 D S Rajan, a former Indian diplomat said that after what they did to our deputy consul general, India is right to review its policy on granting the same privileges enjoyed by the diplomatic staff to the consulate staff.

 He said that consular offices are different than the diplomatic offices. “Now the intention of India is to bring it on par with the United States on the privileges enjoyed by the consular staff of India in United States,” he said.

 US consulate official in Chennai said, “We understand that this is a sensitive issue for many in India. Accordingly, we are looking into the intake procedures surrounding this arrest to ensure that all appropriate procedures were followed and every opportunity for courtesy was extended.”

“While this is a law enforcement issue and will need to be worked through standard procedures and official law enforcement channels, we will continue to work this issue with India in the spirit of partnership and cooperation that marks our broad bilateral relationship,” the official said.