India downgrades US diplomats’ immunity

In a retaliatory move over the mistreatment of an Indian diplomat, India has downgraded the immunity for American consulate officials and will not issue them new ID cards.

The immunity of family members of American diplomats, who are stationed in US consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad, were also withdrawn by New Delhi and they no longer have diplomatic ID cards.

The diplomats will be given new cards similar to the ones provided to Indian diplomats in the US.

India is angry with the US, after its deputy consul general in New York, Devyani Khobragade, was arrested, handcuffed and strip-searched on visa fraud charges and submitting false documents in order to obtain a visa for her housekeeper, Sangeeta Richard.

Khobragade’s case sparked a series of reprisals, including the removal of protective barricades outside the US Embassy in New Delhi.

The Indian Foreign Ministry ordered the revocation of all identification cards issued by the ministry to officials at US consulates across the country.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also slammed the treatment as “deplorable.”

New Delhi has demanded that all charges be dropped against the diplomat and called for an apology from the US.