Something is not Kosher here

Is Preet Bharara an idiot or is there something not yet in the public domain regarding the charges against Khobragade?

The so called law that Preet is trying to uphold is followed more in its breach - minimum wages to an indian maid in an indian diplomats house - and that too an indian maid on an indian diplomatic passport.

It is a well established principle of law that standard of living is crucial in fixing the quantum of financial punishment. For eg. the alimony that tiger woods pays is way more than the alimony that an average jobless joe in the US pays.

By that very standard sangeetha was on velvet with limited work and a salary of 30k sent to her family in India. I am sure there will be millions of people (even people with degrees) willing to work for that pay.

So unless there is something other than what is already there in the public domain I fail to see how Preet hopes to get a conviction.

The other Questions on which the GOI/ Khobragade can file a harassment suit/ illegal detention / defamation suit are:

1. There was a missing person report against Sangeetha - inspite of that the NYC police did not inform that they were in touch with the maid
2. there was a criminal case against the husband - in spite of that the US gave him a Visa - interesting to see what he filled up in his application form in the column for "any criminal case..."
3. The very point that the maids family was "evacuated" for atrocities done on them by the Indian state smacks of a conspiracy as the interview of the diplomats father is there for all to see - he kept calling the DCP to follow up against the maids husband and to impound his passport - who did nothing - when a police officer in charge of the case in not even following up - where is the question of "atrocities" against the maids family.

There are just too many question and also precedent wherein the US state dept had allowed russian diplomats to leave inspite of committing fraud, bullldozed Pakistan to accord diplomatic immunity to a private American contractor etc etc - WHY this doggedness to continue to carry on a losing cause? Is the Ego of an individual Idiot who has been HAD by a sob story of a maid far greater in the US establishment than normalising relations with the worlds largest democracy.

Something is just not Kosher here.

Big Brother

Just as "The Help" opened up the way for better treatment at the workplace the unfortunate episode of the Indian consul being arrested is so unfortunate.

The servant was so happy to go and work in the US wherein she was getting to send a monthly paycheck to her family back home a princely sum of 30k per month. (starting salary for a bureaucrat in India!!)

The point one does not understand here is that was there abuse of the maid ?
was a complaint made by the maid with the US authorities that she was being exploited? - UPDATE (ostensibly she was working with the Manhattan US attorney Barara claiming exploitation - as of the 10th the absconding maids entire family had reached the US)

This (minimum wages to maids) was a rule that was followed more in the breach (with apologies to the rt.hon. MP - hacker) and as such the US should have just sent a simple communication to the Indian consulate that they will be implementing the letter of the law and all consulates to clean home as it may be. This was not followed.

So it comes back to WHY the US took this very extreme step?

as per my FB friend the real genesis of this extreme step was a retaliation to the visa denial for a gay spouse by the MEA (gays are not spouse and it is still a criminal act here in india as per indian laws). in this case the US protested and India (as usual) went out of its way in not only issuing the visa BUT also transferred the concerned officer for following the rule!!

The US thought that India would continue to look the other way if they messed around with one of their consular members. They just didnt take into calculation the pressure that a weakened govt was already under locally and was looking to redeem itself in the eyes of its citizens and with the BJP talking tough with reciprocity being the hallmark of smart and equal diplomacy, the govt went into overdrive.

However if one were to look at what this useless/ spineless govt has done so far is ONLY bring to an end the unilateral priverlages given by india. They are yet to act in a manner which will send a clear message. some of these messages are;

1. arrest all gay couples irrespective of immunity or otherwise
2. impose property tax on the US embassy a la commercial rates as they run many commercial establishments in its premises
3. arrest all the spouses of officers who are working on the side in indian companies

If this still doesnt get an apology and in return the US are to retaliate furthur - i am sure the govt can match them on a reciprocal basis. Of course all the above is just to get the US to come to its senses and withdraw all charges against Devyani and also to issue an unconditional apology.

Now coming to the person in the centre of the storm - Ms Khobragade. She is a career diplomat, daughter of a promotee IAS officer (who was central to the adarsh housing scam) and such not an ideal choice for posting in a country like US - But it is exactly her credentials as a dalit champion, father close to the Congress etc that got her the plum coveted posting in the US. As the cycle of karma turned in her case the plump posting had a more than unintended closure. Her connections in government are more evident from the fact that she has managed to get posted to the UN instead of just being happy to get back home to india.

Personally the officer is not the ideal officer in my opinion BUT the issue here is of India's sovereignty and honour and its standing in the comity of nations and as such that is not something that can be compromised or reduced in any way.

Why Delhi needs a govt. and not prez rule

After the bloodless revolution in the Delhi elections by the common man it is clear that 2014 will be an interesting tussle between the entrenched politics and the new age politics as provided by brand "aam admi'.

If no govt is formed in Delhi then the people of this country will be robbed of an opportunity to judge the performance of the AAP. In my opinion, post these assembly results it is clear that there is a clear anti-congress wave sweeping the nation. Hence the projected seats for Lok sabha 2014 are as follows:

OPTION 1:
If there is no govt formation in Delhi the following may be the results in elections 2014
NDA - 220+
UPA - 140+
AAP - 40+
Third front - 134-

OPTION 2:
In the case of a formation of a govt in Delhi the following may well be the result
NDA - 255+
AAP - 80+
UPA - 80-
third front - 119-

many small fringe upa members will align with the BJP or prefer to be independent - hence the third front will swelled by these parties deserting the UPA.

Now the scenario will be changed dramatically if the following were to happen:

1. Assuming option 2 - AAP brings down the BJP govt in delhi - the BJP will go to the elections saying  - "see what a fractuous mandate does" - in this case the NDA will get 260+ and the UPA reverts back to 140+ and the AAP falls to 15+

2. AAP gives support to the Delhi govt based on issues and hence is there as the conscience of the common man - the govt functions in a healthy manner - the above option 2 may well be surpassed by both the BJP and the AAP

3. no govt is formed then option 1 above will come about and the country can ill afford a minority govt or horse trading now as that will totally vitiate the atmosphere.

So it boils down to the simple fact that the AAP goes to the BJP and tells them to form the Delhi govt promising them a hard time on all issues in the assembly BUT in a transparent manner in keeping with their raison d'etre and we could indeed be celebrating another revolution after the independence movement - the revolution of freedom from corruption.

NOTE For stock market participants:
in the immediate term, company results will rein in the exuberance and the timeline of tapering by the US Fed will also pull down the markets after todays euphoria.

In case of option 1 in case Modi does become the PM, we may look at a nifty index of 8000 by the end of their term.
However in case of option 2 , we can easily look at a nifty index in excess of 10000 by the end of their term with a return of the same dipensation coming back to power being priced in.

In the case neither of the above happens and by a miracle the third front or the congress form the government all bets are off and we may easily look at an index which will be well and truly buried.