Rakesh Manchanda
About author : Has worked in India and abroad in several countries and is now in Delhi- North India monitoring the historical people movement for an Ecological Swaraj.
India has reportedly taken the following retaliatory measures: (i) Removal of security barricades around the U.S. Embassy-Delhi, (ii) withdrawal of airport passes and import privileges (iii) Withdrawl of Identity cards issued to U.S. diplomats (iv) Refusal by Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the National Security Adviser to meet a visiting U.S. Congressional delegation. Some BJP-BSP politicians have also suggested prosecution of same-sex partners of U.S. diplomats.
Images of `equality` and human rights in a fast mode can help. Overseas and `desi` Indian exploitation stories are common: Workers certificates, passports are retained by the company on false excuse that this shall disallow the employee to run towards better opportunity.
In Indian work culture there is a settlement by word of mouth. Wages in India depend on number of rooms, persons in family, kids and visiting guests. Salary includes day off, `bakshish` in shape of `tyohaari`-Holi, Diwali and so on. The engagement for overseas work is as bad as a slave with live in relationship and no `pucca` agreement. Is being Indian means being selfish with no respectable agreement?
| Devyani Khobragade |
Can we in India pay Rs.2,80,000/- per month to a baby sitter in line with the US work laws based on today`s dollar rate ? The minimum wage in US for a domestic help is 4500 usd wherein the cost of `living` and say even of buying a tooth paste overseas is 10 times more in America.
Why does the Indian foreign services system fails to protect the Aam Aurat in America ?
Our External Affairs Ministry instead of a wake up call and correcting fault in corrupt immigration procedures is busy protecting the guilty by moving Ms. Khobragade over to the United Nations, and from an A-1 to a G-1 visa, which would grant her full diplomatic immunity. Deyanifaced up to 15 years in prison. On pleading not guilty before a magistrate judge in Manhattan federal court she was released on $250,000 bail.
If this VIP `parampara` of dollar payment is not understood and does not get corrected fast such ugly hidden cases shall come out in the open. The harsh treatment given to Devanyi by the U.S. authorities is a result of India’s inability to tackle a fraud and human rights issue through diplomatic channels. If there was a chance to negotiate a mutually accepted understanding of how U.S. visa rules and minimum wage laws would apply to domestic help employed by Indian diplomats in the country, India did not exercise it because of arrogance and trust on the old faulty unsafe corrupt system?
Unity of 99% people can save India’s global work culture and result in fair wealth distribution.
