On Thursday, India objected to the US State Department’s statement regarding Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest and remarks on the freezing of Congress’s bank accounts. They said the comments were “unwarranted”.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “India lodged its strong objection and protest with the senior official from the US embassy with regard to the comments made by the US State Department. The recent remarks by the State Department are unwarranted. Any such external imputation on our electoral and legal processes is completely unacceptable.” while addressing a press briefing.
He also added, “In India, legal processes are driven only by the rule of law. Anyone who has a similar ethos, especially fellow democracies, should have no difficulty in appreciating this fact. India is proud of its independent and robust democratic institutions. We are committed to protect them from any form of undue external influences. Mutual respect and understanding form the foundation of international relations, and states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others.”
On Wednesday, acting deputy chief of mission Gloria Berbena was summoned by India after the State Department made its first comment on the arrest of Kejriwal.
On Kejriwal’s arrest, the US envoy responded to a question and advocated for a fair legal process in the case. The statement highlighted the importance of during transparency, timelessness, and fairness in Kejriwal’s legal proceedings.
The MEA said, “We take strong objection to the remarks of the spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India. In diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and the internal affairs of others.”
He went on to add further by saying, “This responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents. India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committee to the objective and timely outcomes.”
