New Delhi: A day after India summoned a senior US diplomat over comments on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the alleged freezing of the Congress’s back accounts, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal, articulated New Delhi’s firm stance on the matter, saying “any external imputation” on the country’s electoral and legal processes was “unacceptable”.
At a weekly press briefing in the national capital on Thursday, Jaiswal said, “Yesterday 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.”
To the US urging “fair, transparent and timely legal process” for Kejriwal, who is in the custody of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, the MEA spokesperson said, “In India, legal processes are driven only by the rule of law. Anyone who has 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..."
Speaking on Ukrainian Foreign Minister’s maiden visit to India, Jaiswal said, “The visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister is happening on the invitation of EAM. He will be here on a two-day visit. He will have a bilateral engagement with EAM where they will review the intergovernmental commission that was held earlier. They will also discuss global issues and regional issues of common concern and there are several other engagements also lined up for the Minister.”