Khobragade's return a defeat to the nation, says Yashwant Sinha

Commenting on Indian diplomat Dr. Devyani Khobragade's coming back to India after being given diplomatic immunity, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yashwant Sinha on Friday said that taking Khobragade back was the nation's defeat, as a case will be registered against her in America.

"From the beginning it was clear that American government would not bow down in this case and will do what they wanted. Taking Khobragade back is our defeat, as a case will be registered against her in America," said Sinha.

"Government runs on avouchment, and Indian government's avouchment has ended. Her husband is an American national but she won't be able to go back to America now. There are several matters, for which if the correct language is not used, the country will not understand," he said.

He further said that the American diplomats in India commit a lot of wrong things but get away with it.

"American embassy sent Sangeeta Richard's family to America from here, and we are still not speaking anything. They were our responsibility, we had to save them but they took them away from here," he said.

"We are not taking this issue as seriously as we should. Here, American embassy people have been doing very wrong things, but we never stopped them. We have to tell them that we will reciprocate and will do what they do to us. We have to remove the inferiority complex," said Sinha.

"Today, even if America's smallest minister, a member of parliament, comes to India, we treat him as if President Obama himself has come here," he added.

Indian diplomat Dr. Devyani Khobragade has been given diplomatic immunity and is flying back to India, MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said on Friday.

Akbaruddin further said that Khobragade, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York, was accredited on January 8 and given the privileges and immunities of a diplomatic envoy under the terms of Section 15 of the Headquarters Agreement between the United Nations and the United States.

According to Akbaruddin, at the time of her departure to India, Khobragade reiterated her innocence regarding charges filed against her and affirmed her gratitude to the Indian government, the people and the media for their support during this period.

She also affirmed her determination to ensure that the episode would not leave a lasting impact on her family, in particular, her children, who are still in the United States, Akbaruddin added.