India awaits information from US embassy on tax and visa violation issue

Will take action: Khurshid

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has said that India will take "necessary" action in the reports of alleged tax and visa violations by the American Embassy School here.

To a question on the media reports regarding alleged tax and visa violations by the American Embassy School in New Delhi, Khurshid, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha yesterday, said: "The Government has sought the relevant information from the School to examine compliance with relevant Indian laws by the School and its employees, and will take necessary action accordingly in this matter."

On Devyani Khobragade, an Indian diplomat who was arrested for alleged visa fraud in the US, he said though she was accredited as adviser to the Indian delegation to the United Nations the US has "taken the position that they do not recognise the validity of such immunity and maintains that the arrest did not contravene it, in keeping with the terms of the Headquarters Agreement concluded between the United Nations and the United States of America."

Khurshid said India has raised the matter with the US and "continues to pursue it."

"Government of India has also taken the view that the manner in which Dr. Khobragade was arrested, contravened the privileges and immunities provided to Diplomats under the Vienna Convention. This aspect has also been raised with the US Government, which claims that the Vienna Convention was not violated from their perspective, arguing that "standard procedures" were followed," he said.

"Since there are evidently differing perspectives on both sides on the issue of diplomatic privileges and immunities, both countries have agreed to initiate a dialogue to comprehensively address all aspects related to diplomatic immunities and privileges in a mutually acceptable manner, so as to avoid recurrence of such instances. The discussions will be held as soon as a mutually agreed agenda and convenient dates for the meeting are finalized," he added.