India objects to ’hep and happening’ remark on ankle bracelets

NDTV

Hyderabad, 02 February 2011:  It was a comment of immoderate insensitivity made by a US diplomat in Hyderabad, and she was ordered to apologise on television. Earlier this evening, Juliet Wurr, who handles Public Affairs at the US Consulate in Hyderabad said to NDTV that the group of 18 students being made to wear ankle bracelets in America should choose to see it as a bang-on-trend moment. "Let me tell you they are very hep and happening because many of our movie stars and celebrities choose the anklets rather than sitting in a red jumpsuit in prison."

 

It may not seem possible, but Ms Wurr then went on to make an even more offensive remark.  "It’s funny people getting upset about this. I don’t know about your servants ...but my servant has big heavy silver anklets...that look a heck of a lot more uncomfortable and binding."

 

Within minutes, the Indian government lodged a formal complaint with the US Deputy Chief of Mission Donald Lu. Ms Wurr soon had to return to TV to express her deep regret for her comments. "I apologise deeply because I would never want to insult or hurt the feelings of any Indian, particularly young people who are going through a very trying time now in this situation," she said.

 

Indian students at Tri-Valley University in California are in danger of being deported after the college was shut down for allegedly serving as a cover for an immigration racket. Many students from Andhra Pradesh moved to California but attended courses online, and were reportedly found working in other states, according to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Some of them are now being made to wear ankle bracelets so that they can be tracked. 

 

In a statement yesterday, the US embassy in India defended radio-tagging students. Foreign Affairs Minister SM Krishna has described this as "adding insult to the injury" and he said today that he will ask the US to investigate why "dubious" universities are not more closely tracked and checked. 

 

The US has so far defended the use of ankle bracelets. A statement issued by the US embassy yesterday qualified, "Some of those involved in the Tri-Valley investigation have been issued ankle monitors. Use of ankle monitors is widespread across the United States and standard procedure for a variety of investigations, and does not necessarily imply guilt or suspicion of criminal activity," the statement said.