Indian envoy’s rebuttal to Irish Daily News angers Congress

Akhilesh Mishra is a 1989-batch Indian Foreign Service Officer (File)

New Delhi:

Congress has objected to remarks made by the Indian envoy in a leading Irish daily accusing a “single dynastic party” of corruption. Akhilesh Mishra, India’s ambassador to Ireland, has hit back after the Indian embassy in Ireland called an editorial published by The Irish Times “highly biased”.

Congress condemned the remarks and said the ambassador would not publicly attack the opposition.

Editorial ‘Modi Tightens Control’, while predicting a comfortable third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, mentions Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest and targeting of opposition Leaders’ Tax Cases. The Indian embassy disputed the claims, saying it defamed the prime minister, democracy, law enforcement agencies and the “Hindu-majority” people of India.

ambassador @AkhileshIFSrebuttal @IrishTimes‘Highly biased and biased editorial [Modi tightens his grip” April 11, 2024)]defaming the Prime Minister of India Shri @narendramodiIndian democracy, law enforcement agencies and the “Hindu majority” people of India. pic.twitter.com/Oh5rFly92Z

— India in Ireland (Embassy of India, Dublin) (@IndiainIreland) April 15, 2024

In his rebuttal, Mishra praised the Modi government’s fight against corruption, which he blamed on “55 years of tyranny by a dynastic party”.

“Fighting the entrenched ecosystem of corruption – created by India’s 55-year rule by a single dynastic party, including the first 30 years – is a major factor in Mr Modi’s growing popularity. There is a sense of relief.” Mishra “We will witness at the grassroots level the actions taken and the consequences of recovery by those powerful elites who are guilty of crimes with impunity,” Mr. “

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh immediately raised objections, questioning the ambassador’s “unprofessional and disgraceful conduct.”

“Defending the government of India is one thing and what is expected. But even if the ambassador is a political appointee, he will not openly attack the opposition party like a party official. This is unprofessional and shameful behavior on his part.” Partly, but I guess it’s the same approach as Modi,” Mr. Ramesh said.

In a follow-up post, he said the ambassador violated service rules and should be fired.

Defending the Indian government is one thing and expected. But even politically appointed ambassadors are less likely to openly attack the opposition than party officials. This was unprofessional and disgraceful behavior towards him… https://t.co/t0YQSKZSLQ

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 16, 2024

The senior Congress leader added: “I corrected myself. The ambassador is actually a career diplomat, which makes his remarks even more disgraceful, disgraceful and completely unacceptable. He actually violated service rules and should be immediately fired.”

Mr. Mishra, a 1989-batch Indian Ministry of External Affairs officer, was appointed as India’s Ambassador to Ireland in Dublin in October 2021. Prior to this, he appointed a special service officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also served as Ambassador to the Maldives (2016-19), Consul General in Toronto (2013-16), and Deputy Chief of Mission in Kabul (2008-10).