A representative for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed optimism about the protection of people's political and civil rights during elections, emphasizing the importance of a free and fair atmosphere for voting. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General, made these comments in response to inquiries regarding political unrest in India ahead of the upcoming national elections. The recent arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the freezing of the opposition Congress Party's bank accounts have heightened concerns.
Dujarric stressed the significance of safeguarding rights, “What we very much hope that in India, as in any country that is having elections, that everyone's rights are protected, including political and civil rights, and everyone is able to vote in an atmosphere that is free and fair,”
On the US diplomat being summoned in Delhi, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said “I’m not going to talk about any private diplomatic conversations. But of course what we have said publicly is what I just said from here, that we encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes. We don’t think anyone should object to that, and we’ll make the same thing clear privately.”
In response to the US statements, Indian officials summoned Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena, asserting India's pride in its independent and robust democratic institutions. They emphasized India's commitment to safeguarding these institutions from external influences.
The Ministry of External Affairs in India condemned any external criticism of India's electoral and legal processes as unacceptable. They reiterated that legal proceedings in India are strictly governed by the rule of law and an independent judiciary.
“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 MEA had said.
The arrest of Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy 'scam' has further fueled discussions on corruption and money laundering allegations surrounding the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was subsequently annulled.
Read also | Solution cannot be found on battlefield, Jaishankar's Stance on Russia-Ukraine Conflict
