Italian Marine controversy: A violation of solemn undertaking by Italy or India messing up?

The trial of the Italian Marines, who shot two Kerala fishermen in 2012 on highwater, proves a lot more than meets the eyes.

Former finance minister P Chidambaram may have shed all responsibilities by denying any policy paralysis during the time of the trial, but the case is gathering thicker dust by the day, implying the total mess India has created for itself.

Anti-piracy law for mariners

India cut a sorry face among global leaders when it charged mariners Massimilliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone under the anti-piracy law. Clearly, they were nothing close to pirates or bandits. The duo were atop an Italian oil tanker Enrica Lexie when they shot the fishermen, assuming they were pirates.

Certainly, we need to back our people, but at what cost? Not so surprisingly, the Italians came up with an accusation that the Indian judiciary has exhibited a "manifest inability" to handle the case sensibly.

[Read: Italian marine refuses to return: Furious Shashi Tharoor calls it breach of trust, BJP mulls action]

Heads hung in shame

Forget the law and order. When the Indian Ambassador in Rome is called by their foreign ministry and given a showdown over the unneccessary delay in the trial, our heads hang in shame as we know how harassing can the Indian judiciary be.

Adding icing to the cake is the fact that Italy recalled its ambassador to India after the SC deferred the case till February 24 when Attorney General GE Vahanvati said that the law ministry's opinion is yet to come out.

Indians have their way

Despite insistence that the case be tried under International law and in Italian borders, the Indian system had its way. The case was taken under the Indian wing since the fishermen were from India and since India was the closest place to try the marines.

Consider this, when the marines were sent home for Christians, the Italian authorities played with the idea of not sending them back. But our courts had their way here too.

[Read: Marine Latorre will not return to India: Italian senator]

India should mend its ways

Its about time that Italy lost its patience with the long-crawling Indian justice system and complained to the global tribunal. Given that, India will indeed get an ultimatum if it did not work FAST!