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BIG STORY                                                               APRIL 05, 2024     |  The Indian Eye                    4



                                     INDIA-US RELATIONS



                                                     OPEN






           INTERFERENCE?









             As the US and Germany pressure India on Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest and Congress party’s

              funds cases, the BJP hits back at the US. Can New Delhi maintain a delicate balance
                                           between diplomacy and national sovereignty?



        OUR BUREAU

        Washington, DC/New Delhi
             omething is not going right be-
             tween India and US. In recent
        Sweeks,  there  have  been  too
        many comments from the American
        side that indicate a small friction be-
        tween the world’s two biggest de-
        mocracies. The bickering which be-
        gan with the alleged attack on Sikh
        separatists in the US and Canada by
        India-backed attackers has now taken
        another form.
            Now, in recent days, the US gov-
        ernment has openly spoken about po-
        litical and judicial issues in India. This
        week,  commenting  on  the  arrest  of
        Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
        for alleged money laundering in con-
        nection  with  the  Delhi excise  policy
        case,  US  State  Department  Spokes-
        person Matthew Miller said that they
        encourage fair, transparent and time-
        ly legal processes for the issue.
            Addressing  a  press  briefing,
        Miller was asked about his response
        to India’s summoning US diplomat
        over comments on Delhi CM Ke-
        jriwal’s arrest and freezing of Con-
        gress party’s bank accounts. The US    US’ Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena leaves South Block after being summoned by Ministry of External Affairs over recent US
        State Department said that they are
        following these actions closely. “We          State Department remarks on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI)
        continue to follow these actions close-
        ly, including the arrest of Delhi CM   However,  he  also  denied  talking   dia. “In diplomacy, states are expect-  dient judgements. “India’s legal pro-
        Arvind Kejriwal. We are also aware of   about any private diplomatic conver-  ed to be respectful of the sovereignty   cesses are based on an independent
        the Congress party’s allegations that   sations, and said, “What we have said   and internal affairs of others. This   judiciary that is committed to objec-
        tax authorities have frozen some of   publicly is what I just said from here,   responsibility is even more so in the   tive and timely outcomes. Casting as-
        their bank accounts in a manner that   that  we  encourage  fair,  transparent,   case of fellow democracies. It could   persions on that is unwarranted,” the
        will make it challenging to effectively   and timely legal processes. We don’t   otherwise end  up setting unhealthy   foreign ministry statement read.
        campaign in the upcoming elections,”   think anyone should object to that.”  precedents,” the Ministry of External   Earlier  on  Wednesday,  US  Act-
        Miller added.                         India  took  a  “strong  objection”   Affairs said in a statement today.  ing Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria
            “And  we  encourage  fair,  trans-  to the remarks of the United States   The MEA defended India’s legal   Berbena was seen leaving the Minis-
        parent and timely legal processes for   State  Department  Spokesperson  system, emphasising its independence   try of External Affairs headquarters.
        each  of  these  issues,”  he  stressed.   about certain legal proceedings in In-  and dedication to impartial and expe-  Continued on next page... >>


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