NEW YORK: Garcetti has derogated the integrity of India’s democracy, while defending the ‘free speech’ rights of a designated terrorist.
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti is making headlines again, not for improving India-US ties, which is his job, but for exonerating Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a designated terrorist with dual US-Canadian citizenship. Pannun threatened Air India, the Indian parliament, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a 31 March interview with ANI TV, when asked about Pannun and violent anti-Indian protests in the USA and arson at the Indian consulate in San Francisco, Garcetti replied that India had “different freedom of speech…Our system protects that speech, for better or worse…we are helping our Indian counterparts understand.”
Garcetti’s blithe dismissal of deadly threats against India, and his insinuation that India’s standards for public discourse are inherently inferior to those of the US, ignited a firestorm on social media. Indian citizens commented “are you a terrorism supporter?” “Do you think Indians are fools?” “According to this Guy threatening a flight of Air India is ‘Freedom of Expression’.” “What is the US president’s life was threatened?” On the Pannun case, India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar stated: “The US ambassador will say what he thinks is the position of his government. The position of my government is that there has been certain information provided to us which we are investigating.”
Garcetti’s communications team at the US Embassy is in damage control overdrive. Garcetti’s X feed now swells with praise for “women driving change” and “making a more equitable future for all!” Garcetti is back to posting cringeworthy platitudes about Indian cuisine: “Savoring the rich flavors of kebabs, indulging in sweet treats like shahi tukda, a celebration of the cultural and religious diversity of India.” “Celebrating my first Holi in India with delicious gujiyas made of American nuts—a delightful fusion of traditions and a celebration!” Good to know our US tax dollars are hard at work funding Garcetti’s memorable masala sampling at 5-star brunch specials.
But social media is also filled with photos of Garcetti clowning around in kurtas, balancing an oversized incense burner on his chin like an inebriated frat boy. Many photos show the seal of the US Embassy in the background. This conduct is unbecoming, which dishonours the legacy of US envoys of yore, John Sherman Cooper, Chester Bowles, John Kenneth Galbraith, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Richard Celeste, who wore elegant sherwanis on official occasions, demonstrating their deep respect for India, and for diplomatic protocol befitting the stature of an ambassador.
The US Embassy New Delhi’s X feed makes no reference to Garcetti’s latest blunder, clearly the strategy is to ignore the fallout while posting frantically about “sustainability in India!” touting the US State Department’s “all-female science envoys” and “the trend of ‘plogging’ born in India, where people pick up litter while jogging.” There’s a video of a youthful American, who remains nameless, strolling through a gym in an unnamed location, with the text “Meet our eco-hero of the week, a gym enthusiast and plastic warrior! This eco-warrior doesn’t just lift weights; he lifts the planet’s spirits by carrying his own water bottle everywhere!” Heady stuff from Garcetti’s team, at a time when the Middle East is on fire, Chinese Communists claiming sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh and erecting what looks like military barracks in Bhutan.
Since arriving in New Delhi in May 2023, Garcetti has defended US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome’s controversial trip to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, shortly after Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar taunted India by live streaming from the Line of Control (LoC). Garcetti promised to expedite the backlog of US visas for Indian citizens, but India still lags far behind Pakistan and China, where a US visa is granted in a matter of days, whereas India goes to the back of the queue. And now Garcetti has derogated the integrity of India’s democracy, while defending the “free speech” rights of a designated terrorist.
Garcetti’s 2-year path to nomination for US Ambassador to India exposed the many murky matters that marked his years as Mayor of Los Angeles, charges such as covering up sexual assault allegations of his top aide, multiple visits to Communist China, and hosting CCP delegations in his official capacity as Mayor. Americans expect our envoy to India, the world’s largest democracy and oldest civilization, to take seriously all threats made to the Indian government and to fortify India’s regional security with the Middle East in crisis and Chinese troops massing along the Tibet-India border. When Amb. Moynihan departed New Delhi in 1975, he was critical of the “Rush to China” trend in the US government, stating; “Those American Senators who are all trying to get visas to China should instead come to India, and they should note that half the people on earth with civil liberties live in India.”
If Ambassador Garcetti is serious about bolstering India-US ties, he needs to explain precise policy objectives, not simply offer bromides, like this: “It’s exciting to see how the United States and India can work together in so many areas to tackle the world’s big problems. As Swami Vivekananda once said during a U.S. visit, ‘Arise, awake, and stop not until the goal is reached.’” Garcetti is mistaken if he thinks he can correct his record with fatuous posts about jalebis and yoga. His Cheerful Tourist act is getting stale.
Maura Moynihan is a New York-based journalist and author. Her website is: mauramoynihan.net.