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In a staunch rebuttal to recent remarks made by officials from Germany and the United States regarding the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar asserted on Friday that India possesses a robust judicial system and is not in need of instruction on the rule of law from any other nation.

 

Addressing attendees at the 70th Founders’ Day celebrations of the Indian Institute of Public Administration in New Delhi, Dhankhar remarked, “Recently, people are telling us about the rule of law. One country in Europe, a developed democracy, they need to think within. They need to attend to their own affairs.”

 

Last week, Sebastian Fischer, spokesperson for Germany’s foreign office, had commented on Kejriwal’s arrest, stating, “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.”

 

Similarly, the US State Department spokesperson expressed the hope for “a fair, transparent and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal.”

 

In response to these foreign interventions, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a strongly worded statement, urging other nations to refrain from meddling in India’s internal matters.

 

Dhankhar, in his address, reaffirmed India’s status as a democratic nation with an unwavering judicial system that cannot be undermined by external pressures.

 

He asserted, “Equality before law is a new norm in India today and the law is holding those accountable who thought themselves as beyond law.”

 

Read More: US reiterates stance on Kejriwal's arrest day after MEA summons diplomat

 

Furthermore, Dhankhar criticised the tendency of certain factions to take to the streets and engage in high-decibel debates when the law is set in motion, citing the protests by the Opposition following Kejriwal’s arrest.

 

Talking about India’s ascendancy amid global scrutiny, the Vice-President stressed, “India’s rise is not digestible in some quarters,” and emphasised the nation’s rightful place in international decision-making forums.

 

Describing the Indian judicial system as resilient, pro-people, and independent, Dhankhar questioned the justification for individuals or groups resorting to street demonstrations when legal processes are initiated. 

 

He challenged, “Can people orchestrate in complaining mode, a pernicious tendency to get away from the rule of law?”

 

Emphasising the diminishing rewards of corruption, Dhankhar declared, “Corruption is not a passage to opportunity, employment or a contract anymore. It is a passage to jail. The system is securing it.”

 

Advocating for India’s inclusion in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Dhankhar argued that the effectiveness of the UN hinges upon representation from countries such as India, which boasts a unique constitutionally structured democracy at all levels.