India Summons German Diplomat Over Remarks on Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest

In an effort to voice New Delhi's disapproval of Germany's remarks over the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, which it said interfered with "our judicial process," India called the German deputy chief of mission on Saturday.

When asked if Germany had evaluated Kejriwal's arrest on the eve of the general elections and in light of the opposition's claim that it was politically motivated, the German foreign office spokesperson on Friday emphasized that, while maintaining that India is a democracy, Kejriwal should be subject to the "presumption of innocence" and the standards pertaining to the independence of the judiciary.

India's strong protest against the German foreign office spokesperson's remarks on "our internal affairs" was conveyed, according to external affairs ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal, who also announced the summons. He added, "We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary."

"India is a vibrant and robust democracy with rule of law," Jaiswal continued. Law will proceed in this case according to its own rules, just like it does in every other democratic nation. This account has led to biased judgments that are completely unfounded.

A similar response was provided by the German foreign office spokeswoman to a query regarding Rahul Gandhi, a Congress MP, being removed from the Lok Sabha last year.

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