External Affairs Ministry Summons US Diplomat Following State Department's Remarks On Delhi CM Kejriwal Arrest

On Wednesday (27 March), the Indian government held a meeting with Gloria Berbena, the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States, who was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi's South Block as per a report by NDTV.

This meeting followed a statement by the US State Department, issued the previous day, expressing its monitoring of reports regarding the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and urging New Delhi to ensure "a fair, transparent, and timely legal process" for the incarcerated Aam Aadmi Party leader.

The specifics of the meeting between MEA officials and Gloria Berbena have not been disclosed.

The comments from the US State Department came after Germany's foreign office emphasised that Kejriwal, like any other Indian citizen facing charges, is entitled to a fair and impartial trial.

A spokesperson for the German government stated, "We assume and expect that standards relating to the independence of judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case."

In response to the German government's statement, the Indian government strongly reacted, summoning the German envoy and denouncing the foreign office spokesperson's remark as "blatant interference in internal matters."

The External Affairs Ministry asserted, "We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary," adding that "biased assumptions are most unwarranted."

When asked about India's protest to Germany, the State Department spokesperson directed Reuters to seek comment from the German Foreign Ministry regarding their discussions with the Indian government.