Indian opposition leader's arrest before elections draws international rebuke
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The United States, Germany and the United Nations have expressed concern after Indian police arrested Delhi’s chief minister on corruption charges just weeks ahead of national elections. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is accused of seeking to undermine opposition-led state governments in the run-up to the polls.
Arvind Kejriwal is the fourth leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP, Common Man’s Party) to be arrested on charges of taking bribes from businesses seeking permits to sell liquor in the city – but so far the police have not established a link to any purported crime.
Kejriwal claims it is a plot by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationalist BJP to dislodge AAP from Delhi state, where it has governed since 2013.
His 21 March arrest led to protests in Punjab state, also ruled by the AAP, and drew outcry from India's 27-party national opposition bloc, which accused the BJP of derailing opposition-led state governments in the run-up to the April-June general elections.
“The sole purpose of the arrest is to humiliate and incapacitate the AAP,” Kejriwal’s lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi told a court hearing.
State prosecutors, however, insisted they had proof to nail the key opposition leader.
Foreign reaction
The UN, US and Germany have demanded a fair and impartial trial for Kejriwal, who will be held behind bars until 15 April.
“We encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes. We don’t think anyone should object to that,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, stressed that the case came at a sensitive time.
Read more on RFI English
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