News Brief
Nayan Dwivedi
Mar 29, 2024, 10:00 AM | Updated 10:00 AM IST
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In a recent development, the United Nations (UN) has weighed in on issues surrounding India's political landscape, sparking diplomatic tensions with the Indian government just ahead of parliamentary elections.
According to PTI reports, the UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, expressed hopes for a free and fair electoral atmosphere in India, stressing the importance of protecting political and civil rights.
This statement comes amidst controversies surrounding the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and allegations of freezing bank accounts belonging to the opposition Congress party.
“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,” Dujarric was quoted as saying by PTI in its report.
Meanwhile, the United States has twice commented on these issues, with a State Department spokesperson urging India to ensure a fair legal process for Kejriwal and addressing concerns about the freezing of Congress party bank accounts.
This intervention drew a strong objection from India, which summoned the acting US deputy chief of mission in New Delhi.
In response, India mentioned the independence of its judiciary and denounced external interference in its electoral and legal processes.
The Ministry of External Affairs stressed that any external imputation on India's electoral and legal systems is unwarranted and unacceptable.
Despite India's objections, Washington reiterated its call for India to conduct fair, transparent, and timely legal processes, emphasizing the importance of upholding democratic principles.
Nayan Dwivedi is Staff Writer at Swarajya.