Nirupama Rao give diplomats a dressing down

New Delhi, Jan 31: India's Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao showed her mettle when she cracked the whip on all diplomats posted abroad if they are found to be charged with domestic violence or sexual assault charges. They will have to face the music from the External Affairs Ministry and will no more hold diplomatic immunity as a cover to hide their faults.

Rao also emphasized that they will be recalled immediately irrespective of the intensity of the crime. The fact was revealed in a letter written to all chiefs of Indian missions abroad. This comes as a reaction to the two Indian diplomats who grabbed media attention over the abuse of their diplomatic immunity for their behavioral misconduct.

"I take this opportunity to inform you, and all officials working under you, that henceforth any act of domestic violence, or sexual misconduct, if proven, irrespective of the degree of its severity, will necessitate immediate recall of the officer and his dependents," Rao wrote in the letter to the Indian missions.

Rao also affirmed that there would be “zero tolerance" for culprits and stressed that they would be penalized as laid down by central services conduct rules. She also added that as opposed to earlier, the concerned officer would initially be recalled and an external affairs ministry probe to undermine if he/she is guilty or not will be conducted later.

Last month saw two diplomats shaming India internationally, when Anil Verma, working in the Indian High Commission, London was charged with assault on his wife and Aloke Ranjan Jha, representing India's permanent mission in New York was found to have misbehaved with a fellow passenger in a flight.

OneIndia News