West has Bad Habit of Commenting on Others: EAM Jaishankar Criticizes US-Germany’s Remarks on Rahul Gandhi’s Disqualification Row

GG News Bureau

Bengaluru, 2nd April. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has chastised the West for interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.

“The West thinks it has a God-given right to comment on internal matters of other countries,” EAM Jaishankar said on Sunday.

Jaishankar made the remarks above during a ‘Meet and Greet’ interaction with over 500 young voters, joggers, and visitors at Cubbon Park on Sunday morning, organised by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan. It was the Foreign Minister’s response to a question about Germany and the United States’ comments on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as a Member of Parliament.

Jaishankar said, “I will give you the truthful answer (on why we see West commenting on India). There are two reasons. It is because the West has a bad habit of commenting on others. They somehow think it is some kind of God-given right. They will have to learn only by experience that if they keep doing this, other people will also start commenting and they will not like it when it happens. And I see that happening.”

He added, “The second part of the truth – In our arguments, you are inviting the people to comment on you. Then more and more people are tempted to comment. We also need to stop giving generous invitations to the world saying there are problems in India, and (urging) America and the world (by saying), why are you standing by doing nothing? So if somebody from here goes and says why are you standing by and saying nothing, then obviously they are going to comment. Part of the problem is them, and part of the problem is us. And I think both need fixing.”

Jaishankar slammed political parties’ freebie culture, saying, “This freebie culture – which some people in Delhi are masters of, they are doing it because they do not have the responsibility of raising resources. You can’t run a country on the basis of freebies. Somewhere, somebody has to pay for it. Anybody who is giving a freebie here is taking away something elsewhere. Freebies are a way of getting quick popularity. It is an irresponsible way.”

Notably, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a Lok Sabha member after a Gujarat Court convicted him in a 2019 defamation case for using the surname ‘Modi’ in a remark. The Congress leader was sentenced to two years in prison by the court. The sentence was later suspended for 30 days during which Rahul can appeal against his conviction.

Purnesh Modi, a former BJP MLA, filed the defamation case against Rahul Gandhi.

Following Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha, the Congress has been vocal in protests across the country. In the aftermath of Rahul’s loss of Lower House membership, the grand old party has been trying to rally like-minded Opposition players around it.

The disqualification of Rahul Gandhi is the latest in a series of squabbles between the Congress and the ruling BJP, with the Opposition calling it a ploy to divert public attention away from the Adani issue.

Rahul Gandhi was elected to the Lok Sabha from Wayanad in Kerala in 2019. The party has stated that it will appeal the Surat court’s decision to a higher court.