On rule of law, Vice-President Dhankhar counters Germany, US: Look within, India doesn’t need lessons

Last Friday, Sebastian Fischer, spokesperson for Germany’s foreign office, responding to a question on Kejriwal’s arrest, had said: “We assume and expect that the standards relating to independence of judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case.”

Two days later, Reuters reported that the US State Department spokesperson, responding to an emailed query, had said: “We encourage a fair, transparent and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal.”

The Ministry of External Affairs had issued a strongly worded statement with regard to the comments by the US and Germany, asking other countries to stay out of India’s internal affairs.

In his address, Dhankhar asserted that India is a democratic nation with a robust judicial system which cannot be compromised by any individual or group.

“Equality before law is a new norm in India today and the law is holding those accountable who thought themselves as beyond law,” he said.

“The moment law takes its course, they take to streets, high decibel debates, camouflaging culpability of the worst nature by human rights,” he said, referring to the protests by the Opposition after Kejriwal’s arrest.

Noting that India’s rise is not digestible in some quarters, the Vice-President asserted that “by virtue of its civilisation, economy, size of population and democratic working, India has to be in the global room where decisions are taken”.

“There are challenges, and challenges mostly come from within, supported from outside,” he said.

Describing the Indian judicial system as robust, pro-people and independent, he said, “What is justification for a person or an institution or an organisation to take to the streets when law is set in motion?… Can people orchestrate in complaining mode, a pernicious tendency to get away from rule of law? How can one engaging in transgression of law play the victim card?”

Suggesting that corruption is no longer rewarding, the Vice-President said, “Corruption is not a passage to opportunity, employment or a contract anymore. It is a passage to jail. The system is securing it.”

Advocating India’s case for UNSC seat, Dhankhar said that the United Nations cannot be as effective unless there is representation of a country like India that has a unique position of being the only country to have constitutionally structured democracy at all levels.