Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest: India protests Germany’s reaction
"We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary," the external affairs ministry said.
The Indian government on Saturday (March 23) summoned a top German diplomat and lodged “a strong protest” against that country’s critical comments following the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Georg Enzweiler was summoned to the external affairs ministry and told that the German foreign ministry's remarks on Kejriwal's arrest were an interference in India's judicial process.
Any "biased assumptions" were "most unwarranted", a foreign ministry official said.
Germany’s reaction
The German foreign ministry said it had "taken note" of Kejriwal's arrest on Thursday night by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on alleged corruption charges.
"We assume and expect that the standards relating to the independence of the judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case," the German official had said.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: "The German deputy chief of mission in New Delhi was summoned today and conveyed India's strong protest on their foreign office spokesperson's comments on our internal affairs.
Indian statement
"We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary," Jaiswal said.
"India is a vibrant and robust democracy with the rule of law. As in all legal cases in the country, and elsewhere in the democratic world, law will take its own course in the instant matter. Biased assumptions made on this account are most unwarranted," he added.
