Germany gets message from Modi govt, stays out of Kejriwal’s arrest proceedings
On the day the Narendra Modi government summoned senior US diplomat to strongly object against remarks of State department spokesperson on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in Liquor scam, a chastised Germany on Wednesday took a decisive U-turn on the issue and refused to wade into internal affairs of India.
Last Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs summoned a senior German diplomat to South Block and served a demarche to Bonn, protesting against the statement of the German spokesperson on the internal affairs of India. The condescending remarks of the German spokesperson were seen by MEA as interfering with the Indian judicial process and undermining the independence of the Indian judiciary.
But the firm counter launched by MEA reaped results as German spokesman yesterday refused to share any details about the summoning in Delhi and also chose not to comment on the case.
The spokesman stated : “Have commented on the case. Would not report from confidential conversations now. Both sides have a great interest in deepening the cooperation and we and the Indian side look forward to the next government consultations, which are expected to take place in the autumn of this year. The Indian Constitution guarantees basic human rights and freedoms. We share these democratic values with India as a strategic partner.” The response of the spokesperson was in German language and this is the closest translation.
The German response came at a time when India made it very clear that democratic countries like the US have to be very careful in commenting on fellow (in this case the largest) democracies over the due process of law. New Delhi has also made it clear that commenting on internal affairs of third countries is a two way street and will lead to bad precedents.
It is understood another country from Western Europe has quietly informed India that it will not comment on the arrest of Kejriwal in a ED money laundering probe in Delhi Excise Policy scam.