India Criticizes US Democracy Rhetoric Amidst Campus Protests

In response to the intense protests sweeping across American university campuses, India criticized the US government's stance on "democracy," a topic Washington often employs to lecture other nations. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson emphasized the importance for democracies to demonstrate understanding towards each other. They underscored the necessity for a delicate balance between freedom of expression, responsibility, and public safety in all democratic societies.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated this sentiment on Thursday, stressing the need for democracies to empathize with one another. Despite over 2,100 students being arrested amidst encampments and defiance of deadlines at prominent American universities, the MEA noted that no Indian students or their families had sought assistance from Indian consulates regarding disciplinary actions resulting from participation in the protests.

Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, reminded Indian citizens, both at home and abroad, to abide by local laws and regulations. Meanwhile, US authorities arrested hundreds of individuals, including students and non-students, to quell the protests, with the New York Police Department detaining several non-students during raids at Columbia University and the City University of New York (CUNY).

Mayor Eric Adams attributed the unrest on college campuses to "outside agitators," accusing them of instigating chaos. Columbia University and its leadership faced criticism for the escalation of the situation, with Mayor Adams suggesting that the takeover of Hamilton Hall was orchestrated by individuals unaffiliated with the university, although some students were involved.