File photo: US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and MEA spokesperson
NEW DELHI: India on Friday strongly rejected US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal's remarks concerning the country's electoral process, calling them “unwarranted and uninformed” and accusing her of interfering in the electoral practices of a fellow democracy.Responding to a question during a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the remarks undermined democratic principles.“We find the remarks of the Congresswoman unwarranted and uninformed and tantamount to interfering in the electoral practices of a fellow democracy. This is an approach that undermines democracy itself,” Jaiswal said.
The response followed Jayapal's expression of concern over reports of names being removed from India's electoral rolls.The Democrat representing Washington state wrote on X, “I am deeply concerned about the actions of the Indian government to purge 130 million people from the voting rolls.”
Indian ambassador also rejects allegations
India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, had also dismissed Jayapal's allegations on Thursday, describing them as interference in India's internal affairs.“The remarks by Rep. Jayapal on India's electoral and political processes are unacceptable interference in India's internal affairs,” Kwatra wrote on X.
He added that India had strong constitutional institutions and a long record of conducting free and fair elections.“India is a vibrant democracy with robust, independent constitutional institutions and a longstanding record of free and fair elections. Always open to constructive conversation with the Congresswoman to dispel her misconceptions,” he said.
Jayapal, who was born in Chennai, previously served as chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
She has also clashed with New Delhi in the past, notably moving a resolution in the US House of Representatives in 2019 urging India to lift communication restrictions in Kashmir.
Election Commission's nationwide revision exercise
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has been conducting a nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in multiple phases.The Commission has said lists identifying absent, shifted, deceased and duplicate voters were publicly displayed and shared with political parties.It has also clarified that people whose names have been deleted from the rolls can apply for enrolment at any time.