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December 23, 2013

Domestic Workers Protest Indian Diplomat's Treatment of Housekeeper 
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In New York City, domestic workers and their advocates rallied across
from the Indian Consulate to protest an Indian diplomat's treatment of
her housekeeper. The arrest of Devyani Khobragade, India's deputy consul
general in New York, caused a diplomatic spat with India after she
complained about her treatment in custody. But protesters said the focus
should be on the diplomat's alleged crimes, which include paying her
employee well below minimum wage.

Prarthana Gurung, executive assistant for Adhikaar: "We think people
have lost sight of the root cause of this entire situation, which is the
fact that an employee, a domestic worker, is exploited and she wasn't
treated in a way that any other employee or staff member was treated.
Instead she was treated as a piece of property. So we were hoping that
by coming out here today we could change the conversation a little bit
and have people focus a little more on the domestic worker and what she
went through and kind of push for justice to be served."

Khobragade has reportedly been transferred to a post with India's
delegation to the United Nations.

 

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