U.S. Envoy Resigns, but Grievances Linger in New Delhi

The New York Times ^ | April 1, 2014 | GARDINER HARRIS

[cold start]

NEW DELHI — The resignation of the United States ambassador, Nancy J. Powell, was greeted by many in New Delhi’s diplomatic community Tuesday with a sense of hope that some of the grinding disputes between the United States and India might soon be settled.

In the wake of December’s arrest and strip-search in New York of Devyani Khobragade, an Indian consular official, Indian diplomats have begun a series of investigations into the American Embassy School, the United States duty-free commissary and the American Community Support Association, a recreational club for expatriates on the United States Embassy compound.

The more the Indians looked, the more outraged they became. School administrators have quietly admitted that for years the school undertook a variety of tax-avoidance schemes, including one in which they instructed some female teachers whose husbands also worked at the school to list their occupations on visa applications as “housewife.”

Indian officials are refusing to renew teacher visas until the case is resolved, leading nearly 20 teachers to leave in recent weeks. Without a quick resolution, nearly a quarter of the school’s teaching staff could be forced to leave before classes end in June. If the controversy remains unsettled into the fall, the school — widely considered one of the best international schools in the world and a key recruiting tool here — could close................

.......A recent poll by the Pew Research Group found that 56 percent of Indians had a favorable view of the United States, a higher share than found in Germany. Among Indians with some college education, the share is 73 percent. But despite sharing a love of democracy and the English language, the two countries have profound differences that can sometimes lead to sharp disagreements.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Is there any relationship this poltroon can’t ruin?

[Seruzawa]

the arrest and strip-search in New York City of Devyani Khobragade, an Indian consular official, in December on charges of submitting false documents to obtain a work visa for a housekeeper whom she then severely underpaid.

From another article. So, now a minor white collar violation warrants a strip search by jack-booted Federal thugs of an official with diplomatic immunity. What morons.

[GeronL]

Sounds like something we would hear out of Venezuela

[DManA]

Dang! Nancy owes me money.

[P3_Acoustic]

“duty free commissaries”? Let’s close them like the military commissaries. Let them eat off the local produce and economy.

[livius]

Obama, like most Muslims, hates India and takes every opportunity to show it.

[Jumper]

The best info on this issue follows: Several American teachers, who are spouses of US diplomats, reportedly work at the American school without legal work permits in violation of Indian laws. The American Embassy School handout "notes that India has placed restrictions on the number of tax-free visas available to school employees".

Translation is that the US Embassy did conspire in light of the reduction of work permits issued to give the spouse of other legal employees a job. There is no way that the Embassy did not know about this issue - The Management Officer would have known. The person signing the Dip Notes would have been advised as well. The Human Resources Office works for the Management Officer and they had to know. The weekly Ambassador's and separate Management Officer's meetings would have brought these "challenges" up.

This will probably result in reassignment of the Management Officer and a Vice Counsel, plus the children may end up being offered education "away-from-post".

[Former Proud Canadian]

So, it looks like Uncle Sam was living in a glass house in New Delhi.