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India, US strong enough to leave Devyani issue in their stride: Diplomat (Text, images: Kurian Pampadi)

Published on 03 February, 2014
India, US strong enough to leave Devyani issue in their stride: Diplomat (Text, images: Kurian Pampadi)
India and the United States are strong enough to leave Devyani Khobragade issue in their stride and go ahead to face common challenges like terrorism with renewed vigour, advocated Kerala’s topmost international diplomat Venu Rajamony IFS at Kottayam, Kerala  on Monday.

Venu who has had his innings as Consul General in Washington much before Devyani had served there and got arrested and strip-teased on a trivial issue of  entry on her maid’s visa application, said that India as the largest democracy and the US as the super power democracy had much more at stake in the world today.

“Terrorism is one, economic and commercial interests come next. Cultural bonds are striking,” Venu told a gathering of students and academics at the School of International Relations and Politics of Mahatma Gandhi University. Venu, who was likened as “India’s topmost spokesperson as the Press Secretary of the President of India” by SIRP director KM Seethy in his welcome address, was diplomatic to the core while analysing the latest irritant between the two countries in the 8th Diplomat Lecture at MGU.

Venu presented the trail of events that preceded the latest incident right from the days of WWll and India’s independence. During the 1971 Bangladesh war when  India helped create an independent Bangladesh, it was the US that sent the Seventh Fleet to the India Ocean as saber-rattling and India was forced to sign a treaty of mutual assistance with the Soviet Union.

After a lull of 22 years since the visit of John F. Kennedy to India, it was for Bill Clinton to make it another as President.  George Bush through his nuclear deal recognised that India as an ally mattered much for the United States. The honeymoon of India-US closer relations should not be lost sight of because of trivial issues like Khobragade, warned Venu.

India is facing another general elections upon a host of internal and external issues just as the US is faced with internal and external issues of multifarious dimensions. “Let both countries brace for meeting the new challenges with renewed vigour and commitment,,” Venu wound up the lecture and a lively interaction that followed.

Since instituting the Lecture series in 2003. The School had the fortune of having Venu to deliver the inaugural address in 2006, Prof. Seethy pointed out. Incidentally, Venu who has had his Masters in International Relations from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi had also served the SIRP as a visiting professor before joining the Indian Foreign Service as the topper in 1986. He served 9 years in Beijing, 3 in Hong Kong before moving to Geneva, Washington and Dubai. Hailing from Kochi, he is considered an authority in dealing with multilateral institutions and multilateral issues including financial and commercial.

Vice Chancellor AV George in his presidential address said that Venu Rajamony was making the lecture at a very crucial phase of Indi-US relationships. Prof AM Thomas proposed a vote of thanks. Venu’s childhood friend and international media person Anil Menon and his Thai wife Komma Pannee were among the audience besides international students of SIRP. “Excellent presentation. I feel accusations against the Indian diplomat will not stand till they have been proved in a court of law. I concur with the presenter,” commented Lucas Pardal, a masters student from Bordeaux, France without hesitation.
India, US strong enough to leave Devyani issue in their stride: Diplomat (Text, images: Kurian Pampadi)India, US strong enough to leave Devyani issue in their stride: Diplomat (Text, images: Kurian Pampadi)India, US strong enough to leave Devyani issue in their stride: Diplomat (Text, images: Kurian Pampadi)India, US strong enough to leave Devyani issue in their stride: Diplomat (Text, images: Kurian Pampadi)India, US strong enough to leave Devyani issue in their stride: Diplomat (Text, images: Kurian Pampadi)India, US strong enough to leave Devyani issue in their stride: Diplomat (Text, images: Kurian Pampadi)India, US strong enough to leave Devyani issue in their stride: Diplomat (Text, images: Kurian Pampadi)India, US strong enough to leave Devyani issue in their stride: Diplomat (Text, images: Kurian Pampadi)
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