Don’t need sermons: Government hits out at report

Asked about the report, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “The political judgements of Freedom House are as inaccurate and distorted as their maps.” He was referring to a wrongful depiction of India’s map by Freedom House.

“India has robust institutions and well established democratic practices. We do not need sermons especially from those who cannot get their basics right,” Srivastava said. (File)

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday slammed US government-funded NGO Freedom House over its report downgrading India’s status to a ‘partly free’ country, saying India has well established democratic practices and does not need “sermons” from those who cannot get their basics right.

Asked about the report, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “The political judgements of Freedom House are as inaccurate and distorted as their maps.” He was referring to a wrongful depiction of India’s map by Freedom House.

📣 JOIN NOW 📣: The Express Explained Telegram Channel

“India has robust institutions and well established democratic practices. We do not need sermons especially from those who cannot get their basics right,” Srivastava said.

In another statement issued by the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the government further said that Freedom House’s report, titled ‘Democracy Under Siege’, “in which it has been claimed that India’s status as a free country has declined to ‘partly free’, is misleading, incorrect and misplaced” and mentioned that it is “evident from the fact that many states in India under its federal structure are ruled by parties other than the one at the national level, through an election process which is free and fair and which is conducted by an independent election body”.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram