Sunday, December 22, 2013

Reciprocity: Why Not Invite Snowden to India?

The US is justifying its smuggling of Sangeeta Richard's family out of India, essentially declaring our system to be corrupt, worthless and fully bypassable in their eyes. Indian sovereignty, the Indian constitution and its designated organs like the Indian judiciary have no standing with them, and can easily be brushed off. They feel that the family of Sangeeta Richards can be smuggled out without any regard for Indian sovereignty. Likewise, they feel no guilt about striking plea bargains to keep David Headley safe from prosecution in India over his role in the 26-11 attacks.

They claim to value their relationship with us - but are we another Pakistan to them? Just another banana republic? When Kerry called up India to express "regret" (mainly regret over our reaction, and not regret over what caused it), he spoke with Indian National Security Advisor Shankar Menon. Why the hell was he expressing himself to Menon, instead of to our designated representatives like the Foreign Minister? Are they telegraphing their attitude that India is a banana republic, and they can deal with us entirely through the prism of security men - just like how they would deal with Pakistan mainly via Kayani and Musharraf?

India needs to show reciprocity to the US, and stand up for its own sovereignty. If they feel Sangeeta's entire family are deserving of protection from Evil Backwater Cesspool India - not to mention the likes of David Headley - then we need to adopt a similar stance towards the US. We should invite Edward Snowden to India on a full sight-seeing tour, and keep him safely out of the hands of the US during his stay, to advertise the fact that if the US wants to help others brush off Indian law enforcement, we can likewise do the same. Bring Snowden to India, let him wave to the international press and enjoy his freedom, and show everyone that he's not merely confined to being caged up in Russia.

1 comment:

VidrohiArya said...

Nice suggestion but who in the govt is reading it?