'US State Department's remarks on Kejriwal's arrest are unwarranted': MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that the US State Department’s comments on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal are “unwarranted” and that external imputation on India’s electoral and legal processes are “completely unacceptable.”

On Wednesday, the foreign ministry summoned the US’ Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena in Delhi to object to Washington’s meddling in India’s internal affairs.

“Yesterday India lodged its strong objection and protest with the senior official from the US embassy with regard to the comments made by the US State Department. The recent remarks by the State Department are unwarranted,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a press briefing.

He added, “Any such external imputation on our electoral and legal processes is completely unacceptable. In India, legal processes are driven only by the rule of law. Anyone who has similar ethos, especially fellow democracies, should have no difficulty in appreciating this fact.”

Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, whose ED custody was extended for four days on Thursday, was arrested on March 21 over the alleged liquor policy scam case.

The US, however, is not the first country to make comments on the opposition leader. Earlier, the German Foreign Ministry had said, “We assume and expect that the standards relating to independence of the judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case.”

Germany’s reaction to Kejriwal’s arrest similarly prompted the Indian foreign ministry to summon its envoy.