Team Blitz India
Condemning comments from the United Nations regarding India’s upcoming elections, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has asserted the nation’s capability to independently manage its electoral procedures.
During his visit to bolster support for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Lok Sabha campaign, Jaishankar countered remarks made by a UN official, dismissing them as a “loaded question” posed during a UN press briefing the previous week.
“I don’t need the United Nations to tell me our elections should be free and fair. I have the people of India. The people of India will ensure that elections are free and fair. So, don’t worry about it,” Jaishankar emphasised during interactions with reporters.
Jaishankar’s response was triggered by comments from Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN SecretaryGeneral, regarding the upcoming general elections. Dujarric’s remarks, perceived as a veiled critique on India’s institutions, appealed for safeguarding political and civil rights, and the creation of a free and fair voting atmosphere.
Dujarric had stated, “What we very much hope that in India, as in any country that is having elections, that everyone’s rights are protected, including political and civil rights, and everyone is able to vote in an atmosphere that is free and fair.”
Jaishankar also cautioned against foreign nations making political pronouncements on India’s internal affairs, warning of a robust response from India to any such intervention.
“There is a certain ‘maryada’ (restraint) among countries. We are sovereign countries, we should not be interfering in each other’s internal affairs, we should not be passing comments about each other’s politics,” he reiterated.
