MEA Defends Kejriwal's Arrest Process As Legal, Rejects US Criticism

The day after India summoned acting US deputy ambassador Gloria Berbena regarding the US State Department's comments on the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated its stance, describing the comments as unwarranted.

"We lodged a strong objection and protest with a senior official of the US embassy regarding the comments made by the US State Department. The recent remarks by the State Department are unwarranted. Any external imputation on our electoral and legal processes is completely unacceptable. In India, legal processes are governed solely by the rule of law. Those who share similar values, particularly fellow democracies, should have no difficulty appreciating this fact. India takes pride in its independent and robust democratic institutions. We are committed to protecting them from any form of undue external influence," said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during the ministry's weekly briefing.

Following India's summons to Gloria on Tuesday, the US reiterated on Wednesday its call for a fair, transparent, and timely legal process.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated, "We continue to closely monitor these actions, including the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal."