Ceremony to mark handing over stolen artwork worth $1.5 million.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: In an effort to mend ties between the US and India just days after former Deputy Consul General of India at the India Consulate in New York Devyani Khobragade returned to her home country, the US Department of State has announced that the Department of Homeland Security will host a function with India’s Consulate General in New York City to oversee the return of $1.5 million worth of stolen Indian artifacts.
The transaction of the art works from the US to India is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, January 14th. The hope is that it will improve ties between the US and India, a small first step on a long road ahead.
The Khobragade fiasco climaxed on Thursday, when she was finally granted full diplomatic immunity on the same day that the US formally indicted her on charges of visa fraud and making false statements. Almost immediately, Khobragade boarded a plane to head back to New Delhi after being asked to leave the country, leaving the US and New York District Attorney Preet Bharara holding the bag on a case they could not proceed with anymore.
A spokesperson with India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in New Delhi that the relationship between the two countries will be evaluated as it goes, saying that it is not a “one-issue relationship.”
Similarly, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said here on Monday, “We also have collaboration and cooperation. And that’s the nature of our relationship. It’s extremely broad, it’s wide-ranging, and you will have, on a day-to-day basis, a number of interactions.”
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com