Sonipat: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, a senior American diplomat has openly praised the election process of India and said: "The US has something to learn from New Delhi in order to improve electoral practices and procedures'. US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, while speaking at a private event in Sonipat, Haryana on Tuesday, lauded the electoral system of India and added America should learn the nuances crucial for improving electoral practices.
While speaking at the event, Garcetti stressed that India has nearly one billion voters who would be exercising their rights for the upcoming general elections which are scheduled between April 19 to June 1.
If you want to feel the future, come to India: Garcetti
Meanwhile, lauding the rising footprints of India, Garcetti said that those who want to see, feel or work in the future, should definitely consider visiting India. "... If you want to see the future, come to India. If you want to feel the future, come to India. If you want to work in the future, come to India. I have the great privilege of being able to do that every single day as the leader of the US Mission," said Garcetti.
When asked about the recent controversies regarding America's interference in the internal matters of India, the diplomat defended the comments made by the US and asserted "The US is a unique democracy where every branch of government, the news media and civil society has its own views and opinions about different countries."
"These opinions are frequently aired publicly as part of the open American political system. At the same time, the US is ready to also take criticism from other countries as part of this liberal ethos," he added.
Why did India summon a US diplomat recently?
Notably, India had summoned a senior US diplomat to its External Affairs Ministry's office last month following contentious comments made by the US State Department regarding the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In a stern message to the US, New Delhi cautioned the Biden administration from making any controversial or schooling India about how to run a democracy. The MEA underscored India is a democratic country and that America should not interfere in its internal matters, citing it would leave a wrong impression on others.
Garcetti also narrated personal memories of "magical moments" he experienced during his visits to India since childhood. He said he had a deep emotional connection with India for decades and remarked that "India never left my soul". He mentioned that US President Joe Biden had told him that India "was the most important country in the world" and that Washington's ties with New Delhi were "the most consequential" for shaping the world order in the twenty-first century.
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