"Don't Need UN...": EAM Jaishankar Dismisses Remarks On "Free And Fair" Elections In India

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday (4 April) dismissed a recent remark made by a senior United Nations official on elections in India.

The minister stated that the he does not need the global body to tell that the the elections in the country should be "free and fair".

Jaishankar's remarks came in response to a question regarding a statement made by the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General that they "hope" that in India, people's "political and civil rights" are protected and everyone is able to vote in a "free and fair" atmosphere.

The EAM was in Thiruvananthapuram to campaign for his ministerial colleague and BJP candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar in the Lok Sabha polls.

Jaishankar also said that the UN official made the comment on the Indian elections last week in response to a "very loaded question" during a press briefing at the UN.

"I don't need the United Nations to tell me our elections should be free and fair. I have the people of India. The people of India will ensure that elections are free and fair. So, don't worry about it," Jaishankar said.

Earlier last week, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, was asked about the "political unrest" in India ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the wake of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the freezing of the opposition Congress' bank accounts.

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