US community association asked to stop commercial activities

PTI Updated - March 12, 2018 at 09:32 PM.

An image of the US Embassy in New Delhi. Photo: S. Subramanium

The Indian Government has asked the American Community Support Association, which runs a restaurant, bar and swimming pool inside the US Embassy here, to stop all commercial activity by January 16.

Taking a tough stand against the US following the arrest of Deputy Consul General in New York Devyani Khobragade, sources said a decision had also been taken to prosecute US diplomats who are found to be violating traffic rules.

The latest moves are part of a slew of measures announced by the Indian Government to show that it will not take the treatment meted out to Khobragade lightly.

Earlier, the Indian Government sought details of all Indians working in the US Embassy and consulates in India apart from withdrawing the identity cards given to US consulates’ employees and their families.

Meanwhile, speaking to newspersons on the sidelines of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here on Wednesday, Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid said, “Our demand is justice. Reciprocity is an evolving process when we realised that we do not have reciprocity on something then we do something. We are not hostile.”

> ashwini.phadnis@thehindu.co.in

Published on January 8, 2014 07:16