Devyani Khobragade: US was wrong, but India is being immature !!

INTRODUCTIONTo prove that the arrest is wrong, Pro has to either prove beyond reasonable doubt that Devyani Khobragade is innocent of all charges, or argue that her diplomatic immunity protects her from such arrests. So far, this has not been done.My position is that US was not wrong in arresting Devyani Khobragade and further investigating her case. I shall start with a brief narration of what happened to then present my case. My argument is only against Pro's first part of the resolution which claims that the "US was wrong."STORYDevyani Khobragade is the deputy consul general for India in New York, who has always claimed to be with women empowerment, and has established herself as a public figure that is concerned with the economic and social empowerment of women around the world.Nevertheless, her domestic maid and babysitter, Sangeeta Richard, reported to the US authorities that she has been treated and exploited as a domestic slave, while receiving underpayment by Khobragade, who the US authorities also arrested for Visa Fraud and the numerous false statements made under oath in court before being arrested[1]. The investigation is still taking place with many evidence that convicts Khobaragade of violation of US laws, but has received a backlash in India by protesters who claim that such arrest humiliated their Indian diplomat. The Indian concern seems to be focused on how the Indian diplomat was handcuffed, searched and arrested, and not the high possibility that a poor woman was exploited as a domestic slave by an influential figure from India.MY CASEA- Khobragade's arrest is warranted and wasn't a mistake. 1- Khobragade's diplomatic immunity does not involve personal actions. 2- Enough evidence present for the arrest.B- The arrest itself is encouraged. 1- The arrest shows equality in dealing will all Indians, regardless of their economic classes. 2- The arrest makes it clear that domestic slavery is not welcomed or taken lightly in the US.A1- Khobragade's immunity does not involve personal actions.The US State Department said, "Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the Indian Deputy Consul General enjoys immunity from the jurisdiction of US courts only with respect to acts performed in the exercise of consular functions."In other words, Khobragade's personal life and decisions are not acts performed in exercise of consular functions(work for the Indian council), so her acclaimed immunity does not at all permit her to accuse the US of not respecting the agreements of diplomacy, as her immunity is only limited to her actions and activities for the Indian council, and not her activities on the personal level such as hiring maids for her flats.Pro argues, "She is a diplomat and deserves a few extra perks, being detained diplomatically and not having strip searches for a crime that wouldn't require it. If she were caught smuggling something, a cavity search would be warranted, but this was different."Rebuttal: Her detainment was for violations of US laws by owning a domestic slave while engaging in Visa Fraud and using false statements under oath to cover that. Pro doesn't seem to understand the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, which only provides immunity for consular functions, and hence arresting and detaining the Indian diplomat was justified if she had illegal activities on the personal level. Moreover, searching her was only to ensure that she is not carrying important documents that are relevant to her maid's contract or the fraudulent Visa, and because of the custom search to ensure that she is not carrying any weapons that is practiced by US authorities for any act of detainment.A2- Enough evidence present for the arrest itself- Sangeeta Richard submitted an accusation, claiming to be paid about $3.31 per hour, after filing a contract that she'd be paid the legally mandated minimum of $9.75[2].- The US authorities have proved that the accused has made false statements under oath in a US court according to an official report on matters that deal with the Visa fraud accusation[1].- Devyani Khobragade has a history of economic corruption, starting with her "controversial flat" in the Adarsh Housing Society cooperative in Mumbai, where she was considered one of the "illegal beneficiaries in the Adarsh Housing Society[3]".B1- The arrest shows equality in dealing will all Indians, regardless of their economic classes.The arrest acts like a reminder that the US does not differentiate between people from different economic classes when it comes to horrible crimes. Moreover, the diplomatic approach seems to have failed with the Indian diplomat in previous occasions, after she voiced out false statements to defend herself in court before the arrest, which acted like a good reason to detain her this time after such statements were investigated to turn out to be blatant fabrications.B2- The arrest makes it clear that domestic slavery is not welcomed or taken lightly in the US.I guess this point is self-evident. Having domestic slavery is not taken lightly or ignored in the US as it seems to be in India. Anyone who engages in such horrible acts and then covers it with blatant lies under oath is held responsible for his or her actions, and arrested so that justice is achieved.SUMMARYI didn't find any convincing reason why the arrest was wrong. It is a normal detainment of someone who the US Authorities claim to have enough evidence to convict, knowing that such crime is not protected by the agreement of diplomacy between India and the US, as that agreement is limited to consular functions (work for the Indian council), and when clearly exploiting an Indian maid in your house is not a consular function, neither is making false statements and fabrications in a US court of law while under oath.CITATIONS[1] justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/December13/KhobragadeArrestPR/Khobragade,%20Devyani%20Complaint.pdf[2] India’s Devyani Khobragade advocated for women’s rights, accused in nanny scandal. Annie Gowen, Published: December 20. The Washington Post: www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/indias-devyani-khobragade-advocated-for-womens-rights-but-underpaid-her-nanny/2013/12/20/13e23688-69a2-11e3-8b5b-a77187b716a3_story.html[3] Arrested Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade owned a flat in Adarsh society in Mumbai. Sandeep Unnithan New Delhi, December 13, 2013 Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in.... . IndiaToday: http://indiatoday.intoday.in...