Countries That Go to Court For Poll Results Giving Gyan: Jaishankar's Swipe At Western Media

New Delhi: Launching a veiled attack on Western media for meddling in Indian elections, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that countries which have to go to court to decide election results must refrain from lecturing India. Jaishankar asserted that it is West's old habit, which is hard to give up. EAM exposed Western media's biased coverage of Indian elections. 

The External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Tuesday hit back at the West, saying, "Countries that have to go to court for deciding election results are giving "gyan" to India on conducting Lok Sabha polls, adding that it's their "old habit that cannot be given easily." 

Speaking at the launch of the Bangla edition of his book, 'Why Bharat Matters,' in Kolkata, Jaishankar lambasted the Western media for the 'negative' coverage of the Indian elections 2024. The EAM claimed that the Western media want a certain "class of people" only to rule the country and hence feel "disturbed" when the Indian electorate doesn't feel the same way.

"Why are these newspapers so negative on India? Because they see an India that is not in a sense compliant with their image of how India should be. They want people, ideology, or a way of life...they want that class of people to rule this country, and they are disturbed when the Indian population feels otherwise."

He further alleged that the Western media at the time had "openly endorsed candidates and political parties.

"The Western media, in some cases, have openly endorsed candidates and political parties, they don't hide their preference. They are very smart, somebody has been doing this domination game for 300 years, and they learn a lot, anubhavi log hain, chatur log hain (they are experienced and clever people)."

'Cannot Give Up Their Old Habits Easily, Playing Mind Games': Jaishankar

Responding to a question on allegations made against India by Canada and the US of 'poll interference,' and conducting operations on foreign soil, Jaishankar took a dig at the West, pointing out that nations resorting to legal avenues to determine election outcomes are now lecturing India on how to conduct polls.

"They (Western countries) do want to influence us because many of these countries feel that they have influenced this world for the last 70-80 years...Western countries actually feel that they influenced the world for the last 200 years. How do you expect someone who has been in that position to give up those old habits so easily."

Further describing it as a 'mind game' Jaishankar said, "They (newspapers) will reputationally damage you, somebody will bring out an index and put you down in that... The countries which have to go to court to decide the result of their election are giving us gyan about how to conduct the election. This is the mind game that is happening in the world."

How The Western Media Interferred In Indian Elections

Indian elections have been a subject of scrutiny by the international media, showing their fascination with the country's electoral process with a range of content being produced including opinions and analytical graphics.

An article published in the New York Times earlier this month, titled 'Modi's Power Keeps Growing, and India Looks Sure to Give Him More,' commented on India's electoral process. "The right to vote is held as sacred in a country whose democracy has offered protection in a turbulent region. But polling also indicates that large numbers of Indians are willing to cede civil liberties to support a powerful ruler they see as getting things done," the article said.

Besides, an opinion piece published in Bloomberg allegedly highlighted a regional division suggesting that there is an apprehension or unease in the south, regarding the notion of a 'Hindu Rashtra.'  Written by Andy Mukherjee, the article stated, "A Hindu Rashtra, or nation-state, will play well in the north. The very prospect of such an outcome fills the South with dread."

Hindu Rashtra has political connotations, associating it with certain nationalist and right-wing movements in India.  

Furthermore, Luce Edward, Associate Editor at Financial Times on X said, “Will this be India's last democratic election? The degree to which Modi has used pliable judges, tax authorities & other forms of coercion to silence critical journalists, imprison opposition leaders, close down pesky NGOs, and bring civil society to heel is massively under-appreciated outside of India. He's Orban times 100.”