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Indian authorities demand from US diplomats to return IDs after vice-consul arrest

This step made by Indian authorities followed the detention of India’s vice-consul Devyani Khobragade in New York

Group of Indians protesting against the arrest of Devyani Khobragade outside the US consulate in Hyderabad, India AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.

Group of Indians protesting against the arrest of Devyani Khobragade outside the US consulate in Hyderabad, India

© AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.

NEW DEHLI, December 17. /ITAR-TASS/. India demanded to return all ID cards issued to employees of the consular section of US Embassy and US consulates-general in the country, Press Trust of India news agency reported on Tuesday.

This step made by Indian authorities followed the detention of India’s vice-consul Devyani Khobragade in New York. Officers performed the pat down and “put her into a cell with drug addicts”. The diplomat is charged of driving up the salary of her housemaid when filling up an application for her visa. Later Devyani Khobragade was released on bail of $250,000, and India’s Foreign Affairs Ministry voiced its protest in this regard to US ambassador to India Nancy Powell.

“Diplomatic certificates (ID cards) are actually credentials of a diplomat in the host state and confirm his status,” a representative of the consular section of Russia’s embassy in India explained. “Without such certificate a diplomat cannot officially work in India on a long duty journey, and, particularly, to extend his visa.”

In addition, because of the diplomatic row several Indian politicians refused to meet with their American counterparts. Among them are Deputy Chairman of the ruling Indian National Congress Rahul Gandhi, Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari and candidate for prime minister post from the leading oppositionist Bharatiya Janata Party Narendra Modi.

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