The United States rebutted Russian claims of interference in the Indian electoral process on Thursday.
"We do not involve ourselves in elections in India or anywhere else in the world. These decisions are for the people of India to make," emphasized State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller during his routine press briefing.
Miller reacted to a question about comments made by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in Moscow. She was reacting to a Washington Post story that quoted sources as saying a RAW officer was involved in an alleged plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil last year.
Zakharova condemned what she said were unfounded claims by the US against New Delhi, saying that such allegations showed not only a misunderstanding of India's national sentiment and historical context but also a lack of respect for India as an independent state. She branded such behavior as belonging to a colonial system of thinking.
"Their attempts to disrupt India's internal political landscape during the ongoing parliamentary elections constitute interference in India's internal affairs," Zakharova asserted, as reported by RT news.
In a bold critique, Zakharova suggested that terms like "repressive regime" would be more fitting for Washington. She refused to say more about the alleged plot, saying it was an ongoing legal matter.
Miller echoed a similar sentiment, stating, "There is a publicly available indictment containing alleged facts. They remain allegations until proven in court. I won't comment further here as it's an ongoing legal issue."
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