India on Wednesday (March 27, 2024) strongly objected to US State Department’s remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and said New Delhi expects other states to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others.
“We take strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India,” read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.
“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,” read the statement.
“India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted,” the statement said.
According to a report published by Reuters news agency, a US official said the country encourage ‘fair, transparent, and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal’.
Germany earlier reacted to Kejriwal’s arrest
India on Saturday (March 23, 2024) lodged a strong protest against Germany’s recent remark over the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is a key opposition leader of the poll-bound country, in the liquor policy case.
“The German Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi was summoned and conveyed India’s strong protest on their Foreign Office Spokesperson’s comments on our internal affairs,” read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.
“We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary,” the statement said.
“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,” the statement said.
India reacted just hours after the German Foreign Ministry said it expects Kejriwal to get fair and impartial trial.
“We have taken note, India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards relating to independence of Judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case. Like anyone facing accusations, Mr Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial, this includes he can make use of all available legal avenues without restrictions. The presumption of innocence is a central element of the rule of law and must apply to him,” the spokesperson of the German Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying by NDTV.
Kejriwal arrested ahead of Indian general polls
Kejriwal has become the first serving Chief Minister to be arrested and is the third senior leader from the party to be arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam.
The arrest comes hours after a team from the ED questioned him at his residence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The arrest was made just weeks before India voted in the first phase of the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Indian Parliament) polls on April 19.
This time, India will vote in seven phases to elect their Parliament representatives.