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Terming the Khobragade episode "extremely irksome", External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Sunday said it was time there was a "closure" to the issue, for which the US should find a "political solution".
Asserting there were "practical considerations" and India cannot overlook when something like this happens, he said the US court, by rejecting the first indictment, has given an opportunity to the administration there to drop the issue and questioned why they were not doing so.
"Even at the worst time, I made repeated statements that although what has happened is extremely irksome and we are convinced that what has happened is wrong and it should not be taken any further, this should not impact our larger relationship. But there are practical considerations," the Union minister said.
"We cannot look unconcerned when something like this happens. We have to balance practical implications with our commitment to keep our relationship intact and in fact, enhance it."
Khurshid was asked for his reaction to US prosecutors re-indicting Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade on visa fraud charges and accused her of "illegally" underpaying and "exploiting" her domestic maid.
The second indictment, on Saturday, came a day after a US court dismissed an earlier indictment.
Observing that "overall it has an effect and there was a very deep sense of hurt here", Khurshid said, "The court by rejecting the indictment has given you an opportunity to put it behind us. So, why are we not putting it behind us... They should find a political solution."
