New Delhi. India has expressed strong displeasure over America’s comments regarding the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal. The Indian Foreign Ministry today summoned America’s acting mission deputy chief in Delhi, Gloria Barbena. Earlier, India had also raised strong objections by summoning the Deputy Prime Minister of Germany.
#WATCH , The Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi summoned the US’ Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena, today. The meeting lasted for approximately 40 minutes. pic.twitter.com/ONLUCI9Hnc
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2024
The Indian Foreign Ministry said that we strongly object to the comments of the US State Department spokesperson regarding certain legal proceedings in India. In diplomacy, states are expected to respect the sovereignty and internal affairs of others. India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary that is committed to objective and timely results, it is unfair to cast aspersions on that. Let us tell you that the spokesperson of the US State Department had said that we are keeping a close eye on the arrest of Kejriwal. We encourage the Government of India to pursue a fair, timely and transparent legal process.
Even before this, Germany’s Foreign Ministry had commented on the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, on which India lodged its strong protest and summoned the German Deputy Prime Minister. Commenting on Kejriwal’s arrest, a German Foreign Ministry spokesperson had said that India is a democratic country. We hope that standards related to the independence of the judiciary and basic democratic principles will be applied in this case as well. On this comment, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying that ‘the Deputy Chief of the German Embassy in New Delhi was summoned and a strong protest was lodged before him and it was told that India views such remarks as interference in the judicial process. ‘