The quest for perfect democracy applies to the US as much as it does to India: Foreign minister Jaishankar

Manjil Das, INN/Chennai
Twitter-@SGiggle29 @Infodeaofficial

S Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, issued a three-point rebuttal to his US colleague Antony Blinken’s remarks on democracy’s problems.

Jaishankar revealed this blueprint at a joint news conference following his conversation with Blinken. A flawless democracy is as much a goal for the US as it is a goal for Indians. In this regard, we had a good chat. All our policies come under this category. Freedoms and non-governance are not the same thing, Jaishankar said.

When asked about the threats to India’s democracy, Blinken stated that democratic ideals and a free populace are what characterise the nation. As Blinken explained, the United States views India through the prism of democratic principles shared by both countries, and issues that might be “ugly” require “corrective procedures.”

“Our talk included our common ideals and democratic traditions. In part, this is due to the fact that the two countries are democracies. India’s dedication to rights, democracy and pluralism is admired by Americans. India’s freethinking population are the driving force behind its democracy. This is something I approach with a sense of humility. The United States faces its own set of problems. A more perfect union is being sought, which indicates that we are not perfect. In certain cases, tasks can be difficult, if not downright unpleasant, according to Blinken.”

“Corrective mechanisms” such as a free press and an independent court are cited by Blinken as ways to remedy threats to democracy.

On his first visit as US Secretary of State, Blinken met with a group of civil society members earlier in the day. Lawyer Menaka Guruswamy, Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed, Ramakrishna Mission officials, as well as members of Baha’i, Sikh, and Christian NGOs, attended the meeting.

“The Indian and American people believe in human dignity, equality of opportunity, the rule of law, and basic liberties, including freedom of religion and belief,” Blinken said in his opening remarks at the civil society conference. Regardless of who they are, we think that all people deserve a say in their government and to be treated with respect. Our goal is to give these words genuine meaning and to reaffirm our commitment to these principles.”

India sent a clear message to the United States ahead of Blinken’s visit, stating that human rights and democracy are universal and transcend national or cultural boundaries.

In these areas, India is quite proud of its successes, and it is always happy to share its experiences with others. One well-placed source noted that India has a long history of being a diverse society and is thus open to engaging people who now recognise the benefits of variety”.

Chinese officials responded angrily to Blinken’s remarks on dangers to democracy, noting that democracy should not be used to denigrate other countries or to create antagonisms. China claimed that a few countries cannot identify which countries are democratic and which are dictatorial.