Post date: Dec 21, 2013 2:38:42 PM
Following the diplomatic fracas over the arrest of Indian official Devyani Khobragade in New York, the members of the regional Indian National League party in southern state of Tamil Nadu demand the arrest of American gays working in India, as a tit-for-tat response.
CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, INDIA (DECEMBER 21, 2013) (ANI) - Following the diplomatic fracas over the arrest of Indian official Devyani Khobragade in New York last week, the members of the regional Indian National League party in southern state of Tamil Nadu on Saturday (December 21) demanded the arrest of American homosexuals working in India.
As a mark of protest, the people in southern Chennai city burned effigies of American President Barack Obama and the Statue of Liberty.The Indian National League party said the government must arrest all the homosexuals working in U.S. embassies in India as a tit-for-tat response.
"Just like America is saying that this is to maintain their law and order and they will take action, India should also take action in the American embassies in Delhi and Chennai and should immediately arrest homosexuals working there to take revenge. This is the demand of Indian National League party and we will continue to protest," said the party leader, Thada Rahim.
India said on Saturday that it had transferred the diplomat to its U.N. delegation, in a move that it hopes will give her protection from prosecution for visa fraud and underpaying a maid.
Whether the accreditation of Devyani Khobragade as a member of India's U.N. mission leads to a way out of the dispute could depend on the U.S. State Department approving her transfer.
Khobragade was arrested on December 12 and released on $250,000 bail after giving up her passport and pleading not guilty to charges of visa fraud and making false statements about how much she paid her housekeeper, also an Indian.
At the time of her arrest Khobragade was serving as deputy consul general in New York, a role which affords less diplomatic protection from U.S. law.
She faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted of both counts.
The world's two largest democracies have been at loggerheads for the past week, amid mounting outrage in India over the arrest of Khobragade, who was strip-searched and handcuffed while in custody.