LIVE: Case against Devyani Khobragade should be withdrawn, says Salman Khurshid

1:49 pm: Won't tolerate injustice, says Raj Babbar

Congress spokesman Raj Babbar said India's message to the US is clear that we won't tolerate injustice meted out to our citizens.

1:28 pm: Case against Devyani should be withdrawn, says Khurshid

Maintaining a tough stand, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said the case against Devyani should not be pursued and be withdrawn. Commenting on India-US ties, Khurshid noted that the relationship between the countries "has a lot of investment". It is "not an irreversible matter and we have to deal with it sensibly," added Khurshid. He has sought details of what has happened in the case of Khobragade in the US.

1:18 pm: India wants good ties with US, says Tharoor

Commenting on Devyani's issue, Union Minister Shashi Tharoor said though India wants good relations with the US since it is an important country, yet it won't accept this. Reiterating "reciprocity as the cardinal principle" of diplomatic relations, Tharoor said if the US does not have friendly spirit, then it is diffciult to see the same in us.

1:02 pm: IACC seeks unconditional apology from US

The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce has strongly objected to the "humiliating treatment" meted out to Khobragade by the US law enforcement agencies.

"The Chamber considers the action unacceptable and feels that the US government should tender an unconditional apology for the humiliation of the diplomat," said Nanik Rupani, president of Chamber's West India Council, in a statement here.

12:40 pm: India says US didn't respond to any of its requests on Khobragade's domestic help

In a statement that was issued in response to a media query, the Indian embassy in Washington has said that along with the Ministry of External Affairs, it took up the matter of Khobragade's domestic assistant Sangeeta Richard with the US State Department and the US embassy in New Delhi.

The US, however, did not respond.

The statement added that the Indian embassy had asked for US' assistance in tracing Richard, action against her for blackmailing the Indian diplomat, assistance in repatriating her and arresting her for robbing cash, a mobile phone and documents from the Indian diplomat.

11:56 pm: US apology will be satisfying, says Nath

An apology from America, acceptance of their fault is what we will be satisfied with, said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath.

11.15 am: Protest outside US consulate in Hyderabad

Activists belonging to Left parties and All India Peace and Solidarity Organisation (AIPSO) gathered near the US consulate in Hyderabad to protest against the US government's handling of the Devyani issue.

Holding banners that read, "Uncle Sam don't act ugly with India", protesters shouted slogans against the US administration.

11.00 am: Ensure Devyani comes back with dignity, BJP tells govt

The BJP said the government must keep up the pressure against the United States. "Rajya Sabha has expressed their anguish and has condemned what the US has done to Devyani, who was under diplomatic immunity," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

"Government has said charges will be dropped and will be brought back with full dignity and honour... They must now walk the talk and nothing less will be acceptable by the people."

10.50 am: Salman Khurshid may speak to John Kerry

With India hinting at a deeper conspiracy behind Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade's arrest in the United States, Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to speak to External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Thursday evening to clarify on the issue.

Confirming the development, Khurshid told reporters, "Yes it is possible. I will have word with Kerry on Thursday evening. This matter should be resolved. We will do whatever more is needed to be done."

7:45 am: US prosecutor defends actions against Khobragade

Manhattan's high profile India-born US attorney Preet Bhrara, also known as the "Sherriff of Wall Street", has defended his department's actions against an Indian diplomat sparking a diplomatic row between India and the US, insisting she was not handcuffed and was given due courtesies.

He also said the domestic help, Sangeeta Richard's family was "evacuated" from India to protect the "victim" as there were attempts to silence her and compel her to return to India.

But he confirmed that Khobragade was "fully searched" by a female deputy marshal in private as per "standard practice" for "every defendant, rich or poor, American or not."

Otherwise, she was treated very well and was even given coffee and allowed to make phone calls in a car for two hours to arrange for child care.

2:38 am: 'Kerry was aware of Khobragarde's arrest' US Secretary of State John Kerry was aware of the senior Indian diplomat's arrest.

"He (Kerry) was certainly aware, yes, absolutely. He's been kept up to speed on this case," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters soon after informing them that Kerry spoke over telephone to the National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon.

12.08 am: John Kerry expresses regret over treatment of Khobragade

US Secretary of State John Kerry called India's National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon to express his "regret".

In a damage control exercise, Kerry also expressed his concern saying this "unfortunate public issue" of the arrest and strip search of Devyani Khobragade should not be allowed to hurt "our close and vital relationship with India".

Kerry "expressed his regret, as well as his concern that we not allow this unfortunate public issue to hurt our close and vital relationship with India," State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said in a readout of the conversation.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/live-case-against-devyani-khobragade-should-be-withdrawn-says-salman-khurshid_897876.html

Salman Khurshid leaves for Colombo for CHOGM summit

Notwithstanding demands for a total boycott from political parties in Tamil Nadu, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid leaves on a five-day visit to Colombo for representing India in the three-day CHOGM Summit to be held from November 15.

Khurshid will be deputising for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose attendance became a casualty in the competitive politics of Tamil Nadu, where the state assembly has passed resolutions for total boycott of CHOGM by India.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu have attacked the Rajpakse Government over its human rights record during the war against LTTE and total lack of concerns for the Tamils living in the country.

Also accusing the Sri Lankan Government of not devolving powers to the Tamil areas in accordance with the 13th amendment to the Constitution, the parties have demanded that neither the Prime Minister nor Khurshid should attend the summit of 54 nations.

Slamming the Centre, a resolution moved by Chief Minister Jayalalitha said today:"Respecting the sentiments and feeling of Tamils, even for namesake, none should represent India in the Commonwealth Summit. This House again demands the Indian Government that the country should boycott completely this CHOGM."

While late last week the Prime Minister decided against attending the summit in view of the strong sentiments in Tamil Nadu, he decided to depute Khushid.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/salman-khurshid-leaves-for-colombo-for-chogm-summit_889513.html

India ready to give Pakistan 'benefit of the doubt': Salman Khurshid

India is prepared to give historic rival Pakistan "the benefit of the doubt" as the two countries strive for peace, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid has said.

The nuclear-armed neighbours have since independence been at loggerheads over Kashmir, which is divided and administered separately by India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both.

India regularly accuses Pakistan's army of providing covering fire for armed rebels who cross the border and then mount attacks and in an interview with The Australian newspaper published Monday, Khurshid admitted the relationship was fraught.

"We talk to Pakistan periodically and in terms of personal gestures we receive great warmth," he said.

"But the on-the-ground reality and the results of our meetings are very disappointing."

However, with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last month vowing to go the "extra mile" to make peace with India, Khurshid said Delhi would take him at his word.

"Pakistan has a lot of very, very difficult issues to deal with at home," he was quoted as saying.

"Our view is that we should give them time, not at our cost, of course, but that we should give them the benefit of the doubt.

"When Mr Nawaz Sharif says he wants peace and good relations with India, we take him at his word."

But with recent shootings at the border among the heaviest since a ceasefire agreement in 2003, Khurshid pointed out that Pakistan has not yet followed through on its promise of top-level military meetings to sort out better arrangements in Kashmir.

"If they can address the dismantling of the infrastructure of terrorism, that would be a good start," he told the newspaper.

More: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/india-ready-to-give-pakistan-benefit-of-the-doubt-salman-khurshid-444265

Salman Khurshid says will trust our army on infiltration reports

Days after Pakistan High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir dismissed as "baseless" reports of infiltration from its soil into Keran sector in Jammu and Kashmir, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Wednesday said that we will trust our army more than anybody else.

“We get the infiltration information from the army and will trust our army more than anybody else,” Khurshid said on Bashir’s remark.

Khurshid, earlier in the day, said that India needs to be patient and not get played into the hands of those trying to stall the peace process.

Indian Army, which battled the militants for 15 days in the Keran sector of Jammu and Kashmir, yesterday declared Pakistan’s hand in the incursion bid.

Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra said that the anti-infiltration operations are over and the army has recovered seven militants’ bodies and also huge cache of arms and ammunition.

Khurshid said that dialogue is the only way forward to resolve issues between the two countries.

It was the biggest infiltration bid since the 1999 Kargil fiasco, which was foiled by the Indian Army after it launched a massive 15-day long operation.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month met his Pakistani counter Nawaz Sharif and addressed the issue of ceasefire violation, however, no major outcome came from that meeting.

Credits: zeenews