New Delhi: During a question and answer session at the National University of Singapore over the weekend, S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India, attributed global narratives of countries to the influence of the West, asserting that the West often shapes and dominates these narratives, leading to a skewed outcome. He emphasized the need for contesting such narratives, stating, “The West has played the role of both a participant and an arbitrator, often emerging victorious. It’s imperative for people to challenge this.”
Prior to embarking on a diplomatic visit to three nations, Minister Jaishankar, following consultations with senior officials, instructed that the unwarranted remarks made by a German spokesperson regarding the arrest of the Delhi Chief Minister by the Enforcement Directorate on money laundering charges linked to the Excise Policy scam should be formally rebutted. He deemed these comments as undue interference by Bonn in India’s judicial process and democratic affairs.
In response to the summoned German deputy chief of mission, Georg Enzweller, who attempted to justify the spokesperson’s remarks by praising Indian democracy, the Ministry of External Affairs promptly dismissed the explanation, urging Germany to refrain from involvement in Indian judicial matters and stressing that India did not seek any validation of its democracy.
India’s objection to the German comments concerning the arrest of the Delhi CM signals the Modi government’s stance against external interference in the country’s internal affairs, particularly as it approaches a general election. This highlights India’s commitment to defending its sovereignty and autonomy on the global stage.
It’s noteworthy that the question posed to the German spokesman regarding the Delhi CM’s arrest came from a correspondent of Deutsche Welle, a publicly funded broadcaster in Germany, akin to a scenario where a Doordarshan India correspondent would inquire about German actions regarding the funding of Khalistani radicals from the Deutsche Republic.
In a separate incident, a state-funded Canadian broadcaster recently aired an investigative documentary on the killing of Khalistan Tiger Force terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. This documentary, perceived as biased against India and sympathetic to Khalistani radicals residing in Canada, sought to validate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s previous allegations of Indian involvement in the killing. Despite this, India continues to await action from Canada against anti-Indian Khalistani radicals responsible for inciting violence against Indian diplomats and desecrating Hindu temples in the Ontario region. India had previously urged Canada to recall its 44 diplomats to restore parity, citing direct engagement between Canadian Embassy officials and representatives of political parties in power in two Indian states.
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