US Meddling In India: List Of US Interventions In Internal Affairs from Kejriwal To Manipur Violence

India and the United States have seen their ties grow stronger over the years. However, it's not always been smooth sailing. Several bumps in the relationship have been encountered, with the latest episode being the US' comments on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, as reported by First Post.

A strong objection to remarks made by the spokesperson of the US State Department, who called for a "fair, transparent, and timely legal process" following Kejriwal's arrest, was issued by New Delhi.

However, this isn't the only instance when Washington has been "lectured" by India or when interference in internal politics has occurred. Here are the following

The Kejriwal row

On Monday (25 March), after the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi liquor policy case, a statement was issued by a US State Department official indicating that Washington was closely monitoring reports of the arrest and advocating for a fair legal process.

"We advocate for a fair, transparent, and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal," the US spokesperson mentioned in an email response to inquiries about India summoning the German envoy to protest against his government's remarks on the arrest. Earlier, Sebastian Fischer, spokesperson for Germany's foreign office, had asserted that like anyone else facing accusations, Kejriwal was entitled to a fair and impartial trial, as reported by Hindustan Times.

The US' comments did not receive a favourable response from the Indian administration, with Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating, "India's legal processes are based on an independent judiciary committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted.

"In diplomacy, states are expected to show respect for the sovereignty and internal affairs of others. This responsibility is even more crucial in the case of fellow democracies. Failure to do so could set unhealthy precedents," he added. Moreover, India summoned the US acting deputy chief of mission Gloria Berbena to express its protest.

Significantly, hours later, the US reiterated its stance, stating that it "closely follows these actions" and "encourages fair, transparent, and timely legal processes".

"We continue to closely monitor these actions, including the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. We are also aware of the Congress party's allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections. And we advocate for fair, transparent, and timely legal processes for each of these issues," said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, as per media reports.

US and the CAA

The US' silence on India's affairs has been criticized by India, particularly regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Following Home Minister Amit Shah's notification of the CAA rules on March 11, the US expressed concerns about its implementation, reported First Post.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal termed these concerns as "misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted," asserting India's constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. Even US Ambassador Eric Garcetti's remarks on the legislation were questioned by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who highlighted the importance of understanding India's history. Jaishankar emphasized the need for self-reflection on one's policies.

Manipur violence

When violent clashes erupted in Manipur last year, eyebrows were raised when US Ambassador Eric Garcetti was quoted as expressing "human concerns" about the violence and indicating the readiness of the US to assist if requested. However, he quickly added that the situation in the northeastern state is considered an internal matter of India.

When the MEA was queried about Garcetti's remarks, the then spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated that he wasn't aware of the full details of the US envoy's comment and added, "I think peace is also desired there, and our agencies, security forces, and local government are working on it." Bagchi further stated, "Foreign diplomats usually do not comment on internal developments in India," as reported by First Post.

US comments on India's religious freedoms

In early January, India, along with China and Pakistan, was designated by the US as "countries of particular concern" for engaging in and tolerating "particularly severe violations of religious freedom."

The Religious Freedom Designations were announced by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who stated that advancing the freedom of religion or belief has been a core objective of US foreign policy since the enactment of the International Religious Freedom Act in 1998.

Previously, the US had released the 'Report on International Religious Freedom 2018,' alleging that Indian "authorities often failed to prosecute perpetrators of 'cow vigilante' attacks, which included killings, mob violence, and intimidation." India's MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar stated that India sees no credibility in a "foreign entity or government" pronouncing "on the state of our citizens' constitutionally protected rights."

Kumar emphasized that India is proud of its secular credentials, its status as the largest democracy, and a pluralistic society with a longstanding commitment to tolerance and inclusion. He highlighted that the Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens, including minority communities, and reiterated that India is widely acknowledged as a vibrant democracy where the Constitution protects religious freedom, and democratic governance and rule of law further promote and protect fundamental rights, as per media reports.

Other instances of US meddling

In addition to these instances, there have been other occasions when India's affairs have been 'meddled' in by the US. When Article 370 was abrogated by India, thereby removing the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, criticism of the move was expressed by several US lawmakers.

An assessment on the matter was urged by four US senators - two from the Democratic Party and two from the Republican Party. US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has been involved in meddling in India's affairs repeatedly. She has gained notoriety for her anti-India antics and has provoked anger from New Delhi on multiple occasions.

Furthermore, there have been numerous examples where disparaging remarks about India have been made by US think tanks. However, each time, the record has been set straight by New Delhi. It is also noteworthy that despite all of these challenges, strong and positive ties continue to be shared between India and the US, as reported by First Post.

This is exemplified by the comment made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his interview with the Financial Times, where he stated that relations with the US remain on an "upward trajectory" and that the "relationship is broader in engagement, deeper in understanding, warmer in friendship than ever before."