External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to a United Nations official's recent comments on India's elections, asserting that India doesn't need the UN to dictate that its elections should be "free and fair." Jaishankar dismissed the UN official's remarks as unnecessary, highlighting that the Indian people themselves ensure the fairness of elections.

The UN official's statement came in response to a question about political unrest in India preceding the national elections, referencing incidents like the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the freezing of the opposition Congress party's bank accounts. The UN spokesperson expressed a general hope that everyone's rights, including political and civil rights, are upheld, and that voting occurs in a free and fair environment.

Jaishankar, campaigning for a BJP candidate, emphasized that the UN official's comments stemmed from a "loaded question" at a UN press briefing. He reiterated confidence in India's electoral processes being overseen by its citizens, indicating that the country's democratic principles are robust enough not to require external validation from international bodies like the UN.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to a United Nations official's recent comments on India's elections, asserting that India doesn't need the UN to dictate that its elections should be "free and fair." Jaishankar dismissed the UN official's remarks as unnecessary, highlighting that the Indian people themselves ensure the fairness of elections.

The UN official's statement came in response to a question about political unrest in India preceding the national elections, referencing incidents like the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the freezing of the opposition Congress party's bank accounts. The UN spokesperson expressed a general hope that everyone's rights, including political and civil rights, are upheld, and that voting occurs in a free and fair environment.

Jaishankar, campaigning for a BJP candidate, emphasized that the UN official's comments stemmed from a "loaded question" at a UN press briefing. He reiterated confidence in India's electoral processes being overseen by its citizens, indicating that the country's democratic principles are robust enough not to require external validation from international bodies like the UN.