December 18, 2013
Saugata Roy speaks on the diplomatic immunity row in US | Transcript
I rise to condemn the action of the US Government in arresting a 39-year old young diplomat, the Consul General in New York. The American Authorities on a matter of contractual employment with her staff, hand-cuffed the young diplomat. Then, they strip-searched her and then they put her along with drug addicts and other criminals. This is not an insult to Devyani alone, this is an insult to Indian womanhood and to all Indians. We condemn it with all the force at our command and we want the House to pass a Resolution condemning the same. I am happy that the Indian Government has taken retaliatory action by removing the barricades in front of the US Embassy at Chanakyapuri, asking for identity cards of all US diplomats based in Delhi, and asking for the employment details of all Indians employed by US diplomats.
I also appreciate your action in refusing to meet a US Congressional Delegation. I also appreciate the Home Minister in refusing to meet a US Congressional Delegation. But we must remember that this is not the first time the Americans have insulted eminent Indians, and here, in this case, a lady diplomat.
Starting from George Fernandes to our popular actor Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Amir Khan, Americans have repeatedly insulted Indians going to the US. We must show that we are one in condemning this US attitude. The United States is not the big brother in the world, and India as a nation state must stand up. I also support the point raised by the Leader of the Opposition regarding the detention of Indian sailor Sunil James at Togo. Just some two bit Banana Republic dares to do this to India! It should not happen. India must stand up as a whole to condemn both the actions against an Indian diplomat in New York as well as to get Sunil James released from custody at Togo.
