On Wednesday, a spokesperson from Germany mentioned that the Indian Constitution ensures fundamental human rights and liberties.
PM Narendra Modi with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
On the same day that the Narendra Modi government called in a senior US diplomat to express strong objections to remarks made by the State Department spokesperson regarding the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in a liquor scam, Germany opted not to intervene in India’s internal affairs, signaling a significant shift in stance.
The Ministry of External Affairs called in a high-ranking German diplomat to South Block last Saturday and issued a formal protest to Bonn regarding the statement made by the German spokesperson on India’s internal matters. The Ministry viewed the critical comments of the German spokesperson as an intrusion into India’s legal proceedings and a challenge to the autonomy of the Indian judiciary.
The strong response from the Ministry of External Affairs yielded results, as the German spokesperson declined to disclose any information regarding the summoning in Delhi and opted not to provide any comments on the case.
The spokesperson remarked, “I have already provided comments on the case. I won’t divulge details of private discussions at this time. Both parties are keen on enhancing cooperation, and we, along with the Indian side, anticipate the upcoming government consultations scheduled for autumn this year. India’s Constitution ensures fundamental human rights and freedoms, values which we, as strategic partners, also uphold.”
The German response coincided with India’s explicit message emphasizing that democratic nations, such as the United States, must exercise caution when commenting on fellow democracies, particularly regarding legal processes. New Delhi has underscored that involvement in the internal affairs of other countries sets undesirable precedents, stressing that this principle applies both ways. Additionally, it is known that another Western European country has discreetly communicated to India its decision not to comment on the arrest of Kejriwal in connection with an Enforcement Directorate money laundering investigation related to the Delhi Excise Policy scam.