India Lodges Strong Demarche with the United States
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasized that such remarks amounted to interference in India’s judicial process and undermined the independence of its judiciary.
Strong Response to US State Department’s Comments
India has lodged a strong demarche with the United States over the recent comments concerning the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. US Acting Deputy CdA Gloria Berbena was summoned by India’s Ministry of External Affairs and handed over a strongly worded demarche. The summoning lasted for 45 minutes.
India’s Stand on Diplomatic Relations
India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated, “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 internal affairs of others. 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 committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted.”
International Reactions and India’s Response
The US State Department, in response to an inquiry from news agency Reuters, said, “We encourage a fair, transparent, and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal.” This remark marked the second instance of a foreign government commenting on Kejriwal’s arrest, following earlier comments from Germany.
India’s Stance on Democracy and Judicial Independence
Over the weekend, India had responded by summoning the German Deputy Chief of Mission and lodged a strong protest. The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that such remarks amounted to interference in India’s judicial process and undermined the independence of its judiciary. The MEA stated, “India is a vibrant and robust democracy with rule of law. As in all legal cases in the country, and elsewhere in the democratic world, law will take its own course in the instant matter. Biased assumptions made on this account are most unwarranted.”
Reactions to Foreign Comments
Terming the remarks as “misplaced, misinformed and unwarranted”, Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson, MEA said, “Vote bank politics should not determine views about a laudable initiative to help those in distress. Lectures by those who have a limited understanding of India’s pluralistic traditions and the region’s post-partition history are best not attempted.”
