During a press briefing on Monday, US Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel stated that the US is closely monitoring Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s case in Indian courts. Patel highlighted the US government’s shared commitment with India to democratic values, including freedom of expression and the cornerstone of any democracy, respect for the rule of law and judicial independence.
‘The US engages with the government of India on our shared commitment to democratic values, including of course freedom of expression in our engagements with our Indian partners,’ said Patel. ‘We continue to highlight the importance of democratic principles and the protection of human rights, including freedom of expression as a key to strengthening both our democracies.’
When asked if the US is engaging with India or Rahul Gandhi specifically, Patel responded that he didn’t have any specific engagements to read out. He further explained that it is standard practice for the US to engage with members of opposition parties in any country where bilateral relationships exist.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a Member of Lok Sabha on Friday after being convicted in a criminal defamation case over his ‘Modi surname’ remark. Gandhi had been the MP for Wayanad in Kerala. The Surat court also sentenced Gandhi to two years’ imprisonment on Thursday over the same remark made during an election rally in Karnataka in 2019.
The US monitoring of Rahul Gandhi’s case reinforces its commitment to democratic principles and upholding the rule of law, which are essential for any democracy to function effectively.
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