"We Hope That In India...": UN On Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest

Elections are going to be held in many other countries including India this year, in view of which a spokesperson of United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed hope. He said that the political and civil rights of the people of India and any country where elections are being held should be protected. Furthermore, everyone should be able to vote in a free and fair environment.

The spokesperson of Secretary General Stephane Dujarric made these comments on Thursday when he was answering a question in India. He was asked about the political unrest in India in the wake of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and freezing of the bank accounts of the opposition

ahead of the upcoming general elections.

Dujarric’s and other statements

Dujarric said, 'We are very hopeful that in India, as in any country with elections, everyone's rights, including political and civil rights, will be protected and everyone will be able to vote in a free and fair environment. ' This reaction of the United Nations comes a day after the US also reacted to a similar question on the arrest of Kejriwal and confiscation of bank accounts of the Congress Party.

In fact, on Wednesday, a senior American diplomat was summoned in protest against his comments on Kejriwal's arrest. Hours later, Washington reiterated that it encourages fair, transparent, timely legal processes.

When the American diplomat was summoned to Delhi, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, 'I am not going to talk about any private diplomatic conversation. But certainly what we've said publicly, the same thing I've just said from here, is that we encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes. We do not think that anyone should have any objection to this and we will make this clear personally.

America again gave a statement on the matter

Despite India's opposition, America again gave a statement on the matter on Wednesday night. US State Department spokesperson Miller had said, "We stand by our stand and this should not cause any problem to anyone. We expect the legal process to be completed in a fair, transparent and timely manner."

Apart from America, on March 23, Germany also gave a statement on the issue of Kejriwal's arrest. Germany had said, "India is a democratic country. We hope that the court here is independent. The principles of democracy will be followed in Kejriwal's case also. He will get legal aid without any hindrance."

On this, the Indian Foreign Ministry had summoned the German diplomat. India's Foreign Ministry had said, "Germany should not interfere in the internal affairs of India. We consider such statements to be interference in our judicial process. Such statements raise questions on the impartiality and independence of our court."

On March 21, ED had arrested Delhi CM Kejriwal

Kejriwal was arrested from his residence on March 21 in the liquor policy scam case. He is in ED custody till March 28. Kejriwal is running the government from ED custody. At the time of his appearance in the court, he had said that he would not resign and if necessary, would run the government from jail.