NYTimes | Outrage in India’s tiny diplomatic corps is particularly acute because
those who deal with the United States often feel overwhelmed by the
sheer volume of communications. India has just three senior diplomats on
its North America desk, who deal with scores of counterparts from the
United States and Canada. And the issue of the treatment of domestic
help does not resonate in India as it does in the United States; nearly
all officials in New Delhi have maids working dawn to dusk six or seven
days a week, and generally earning even less than Ms. Richard did.
India has undertaken punitive measures that it believes puts American
diplomats in India on par with Indian diplomats in the United States. It
withdrew passes that allow American diplomats to meet important guests,
like members of Congress, at airport gates, and canceled the diplomatic
identity cards given to consular officials and their families,
reissuing cards only to officials. The cards instruct police officers
that the holder may be arrested for serious offenses.
In addition, India is investigating whether spouses and employees of
American officials are paying taxes on earnings made in India,
particularly at the American schools in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
India has canceled the United States Embassy’s import privileges for
food and alcohol. And security barriers that surrounded the embassy in
New Delhi have been permanently removed. Indian officials say the
barriers were unnecessary and in some cases impeded traffic.
“We would not do anything to adversely affect the security of the U.S.
Embassy,” Mr. Akbaruddin said. “To suggest otherwise is unfair.”
There are 14 other Indian maids working for Indian diplomats in the
United States, and India is negotiating over their status with the State
Department. To India, these maids should be considered Indian
government employees whose employment does not fall under American wage
and hour laws.
