Biden’s statements on CAA, Kejriwal, now Congress…
US President Joe Biden during a national address in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, June 2, 2023. Biden defended a debt limit deal he struck with Republicans as necessary to prevent an economic collapse and said he would sign it on Saturday amid frustration from many lawmakers in both parties who backed the agreement reluctantly. Photographer: Jim Watson/AFP/Bloomberg
Just before the Lok Sabha elections, tension seems to be increasing in the diplomatic relations between America and India. After CAA, America has now raised the issue of frozen bank accounts of Kejriwal and Congress. India has given a befitting reply to these statements of America and has expressed its objection by summoning the diplomat. Earlier, US Ambassador Eric Garcetti had said that no matter how close we are with India, we cannot abandon the ‘principle’. Meanwhile, India has expressed strong objection to these statements and has clearly said that America will have to respect the sovereignty of others. Amidst this increased tension, experts have reprimanded America and said that it is repeating the dangerous mistake made during the Ukraine war.
Well-known Indian strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney tweeted, ‘Team Biden has not yet learned how not to be aggressive with the Global South and avoid humiliating them. The ongoing dispute in the world’s largest democracy is just one example of this. In the year 2022, America had crudely threatened India that if New Delhi did not take its side in the Ukraine war, it would have to pay ‘costs and consequences’. Let us tell you that after the start of Ukraine war, America threatened India several times to break relations with Russia.
What did America say on Congress’s frozen bank accounts?
In response to this, India reprimanded America and further strengthened its relations with Russia. There has been a record trade between India and Russia and it is continuously increasing. India continues to reject this threat. The latest dispute between America and India started over CAA and has now reached the freezing accounts of Congress. America has demanded a fair, transparent, time-bound process in the Kejriwal case. The US said it will continue to closely monitor Kejriwal’s case. The US said it is aware of Congress’s allegation of freezing bank accounts. This will make it challenging for him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in the future.
Earlier, India had summoned a senior US diplomat to register its protest over the remarks made regarding Kejriwal’s arrest, after which the US on Wednesday said that it encourages fair, transparent, timely legal processes and “we Don’t think anyone should have any objection to this. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, ‘We will continue to closely monitor these actions, including the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.’ Miller said, ‘We are also aware of the Congress Party’s allegations that tax officials has frozen some of his bank accounts in such a way that it will become challenging to campaign effectively in the upcoming elections. We encourage fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of these issues.
India should not have any objection, America said
“With regard to your first question, I’m not going to talk about any private diplomatic conversations, but certainly, what we’ve said publicly, that’s what I’ve said from here, is that we Encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes. We don’t think anyone should have any objection to this. We will make this clear personally.” India on Wednesday summoned a senior US diplomat and lodged a strong protest over the remarks of a US State Department official on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
