Arvind Kejriwal's custody with Enforcement Directorate extended till April 1, Monday
Delhi CM Kejriwal, now held in relation to Liquor policy scam, did not oppose the remand. ED had sought further 7 days of custody of Kejriwal
India reacted to the US second statement on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, and said the remarks were "unwarranted" and "unacceptable".
"Any such external invitation on electoral and legal processes is completely unacceptable. In India, legal processes are driven only by the rule of law. Anyone who has a similar ethos, especially fellow democracies, should have no difficulty in appreciating this fact," said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
The foreign ministry also said that India is proud of its "independent and robust" democratic institutions and is committed to protect them from any form of undue external influences. "Mutual respect and understanding form the foundation of international relations and states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others," the MEA stated.
Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja passed the order. Kejriwal remanded to further four days of ED custody. He will now be produced in court on April 01 at 11:30 AM.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also said that it was aware of the Congress party's allegations that tax authorities had frozen some of their bank accounts. "We continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. We encourage fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of these issues," Miller said.
Naga CM Rio and Manipur's Biren enjoy special 'blessings'
New Delhi
Ten months have rolled by since Manipur entered its mayhem stage. There can be no drum roll or any fanfare as the state's ruling dispensation and also the Narendra Modi-led regime in Delhi would be going to the people of Manipur seeking votes for two parliamentary segments.
In Inner Manipur, the traditional Meitei stronghold, the saffron party has fielded state Education Minister Th. Basantakumar Singh and in the Outer Manipur it is ally NPF nominee Kachui Timothy Zimik, a retired Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, and a Naga.
In 2023, Manipur witnessed a strategic Naga-Meitei bonhomie perhaps upsetting the Christian lobby and Kuki-Zo community by and large.
Was Manipur a case of being 'mishandled' or real failure will be debated for long.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to stay away from Mizoram election campaign as Mizos too were aggrieved in solidarity with the Kukis and other smaller tribes.
Will Modi campaign in Manipur and Mizoram in 2024 in his journey for 400 plus Mission is anybody's guess.
"The experience of being wrong is salutary....', - thus spoke former US Ambassador to India John Kenneth Galbraith. He was envoy in India under the Kennedy administration and his political activism and literary output brought him wide fame.
He had also written that Economics is "not a durable truth". When it comes to politics, we may believe it quickly and more so when the protagonist is a player by the name Narendra Modi.
In Manipur, the Modi-Amit Shah duo reposed faith in Chief Minister N Biren Singh
yet again and thus fielded Basanatakumar. The latter had earlier displayed intent and
ambition to replace Biren Singh -- whom Home Minister Amit Shah openly backed
during last August's No Trust motion debate in Lok Sabha.
A political party can decide its candidates obviously. But both the state Chief Minister Biren Singh
and also Home Minister Shah and PM Modi need to ensure that normalcy is returned
and voting place effectively with wider participation of all sections of people.
One can only hope that Kukus should participate in the polls with utmost sincerity and
numbers. However, it is well known that the state of Manipur has not yet been 'nursed'
back to good health.
In neighbouring Nagaland too, there are issues. Nagas are waiting for the historic occasion when
they will kiss 'farewell' to gunfight and extortion. While extortion has survived; the violence has not been much in Naga areas.
In fact, Nagas in Manipur and the United Naga Council have handled the crisis of 2023 haunting the
state very well.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is still in high command's good books.
But what happens to Naga peace talks? The Solution - it seems - is nothing but a pipedream.
The talks started in 1997 and stakeholders are counting their days. This is a very unusual way
of handling a peace process between two matured sides. The stakeholders are not realising the
urgency to arrive at a solution. Things have come so near; and yet so far off. It's like a Mirage.
They must realise that various pockets are simmering with discontent and a day may come when
'influential' leaders will appear powerless.
Individuals may not be important any longer. It's a collective failure. Looking back at history and factors and searching for those responsible in order to assign 'blame' may not serve any purpose.
Real statesmanship is required in handling a complex issue either in Nagaland or in Manipur.
Mere money play or even power play as is propagated by a school of wisdom in Delhi may not actually work.
Nagas are well aware that it "well managed" any violent group can portray themselves as "freedom fighters".
Extortion then comes to stay and yesteryear's patriots may turn out to be tomorrow's betrayers.
The trouble maker's big advantage is always propaganda. The media, even traditional and modern time's social media - when used skillfully can have a far greater effect than any amount of bullets.
The 2023 conflict in Manipur is a grim reminder. Troubles can still happen even if players in conflict need not be militarily equal or armed with moneybags.
The trouble makers like in Manipur are hardly burdened by accountability.
A couple of decades back when a Human Rights conference was organised at Kohima during the tenure of Vamuzo as the Chief Minister, Rajmohan Gandhi had aptly summed one part of the paradox.
The fight may be 'unequal' but good insurgent leaders can always balance their advantages against their disadvantages, he said. Narendra Modi has experts such as NSA Ajit Doval in his team and they all can advise him on certain urgent measures those need to be taken.
This is not to suggest we need to press panic button. But precaution is always good.
We need not dismiss the claim of involvement of overseas factors. From geo-strategic point of view, it is often argued that the aim of counter-insurgency is in effect the need to "separate the fish from the water". But insurgency survives with people's support and both can easily relate to each other.
Ethnic bonds matter a lot in this complex world of northeast India.
Ends
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