State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel. File
| Photo Credit: AP`
The United States is watching the court docket case of Congress occasion chief Rahul Gandhi, an official has stated whereas observing that Washington continues to interact with India on the shared dedication in direction of democratic ideas and the safety of human rights, together with freedom of expression.
Mr. Gandhi was on March 23 sentenced to 2 years in jail by a Surat court docket in a 2019 prison defamation case over his “why all thieves have Modi surname” comment. A day later, he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction in the case.
“Respect for the rule of law and judicial independence is a cornerstone of any democracy. We are watching Mr. Gandhi’s case in Indian courts and we engage with the Government of India on our shared commitment to democratic values, including, freedom of expression,” the State Department’s Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel informed reporters at a information convention on March 27.
“In our engagements with our Indian partners, we continue to highlight the importance of democratic principles and the protection of human rights, including freedom of expression, as a key to strengthening both our democracies,” he stated.
Responding to a query, Mr. Patel stated it’s regular and customary for the United States to interact with members of Opposition events in any nation the place it has bilateral relationships.
Opposition events in India stepped up their offensive in opposition to the Narendra Modi Government and noticed a “black day for democracy” on March 27, three days after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha.
The BJP condemned the ruckus created by the Opposition in Parliament and accused the Congress of resorting to “low-level politics” in its bid to justify Mr. Gandhi’s remarks in opposition to the OBC group.
