After India’s envoy to Ireland Akhilesh Mishra responding to an Irish daily’s editorial criticised ‘single dynastic party’ Congress for creating ecosystem of corruption, the grand old party on Wednesday took a strong objection to his remarks saying that attacking opposition parties openly in a manner like a ‘party apparatchik’ was disgraceful behaviour and demanded that the ambassador be sacked.
“Defending the Government of India is one thing and is to be expected. But to attack Opposition parties openly in thus manner like a party apparatchik is not expected from an Ambassador even if he be a political appointment,” Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh wrote on X.
Ramesh was responding to Mishra’s remarks in his rejoinder to The Irish Times over what the embassy said was a “highly biased and prejudiced editorial, casting aspersion on Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, Indian democracy, law enforcement institutions & ‘Hindu-majority’ people of India.”
The editorial ‘Modi tightens his grip’ predicted a comfortable third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi but at the same time questioned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and tax cases against opposition leaders.
In the rejoinder headlined ‘Modi enjoys unprecedented popularity’, Mishra said, Further to ‘The Irish Times’ view on the Indian election: Modi tightens his grip (April 11th), Indian prime minister Narendra Modi enjoys unprecedented popularity and profile not only in India but globally because of his impeccable personal character and integrity and thought-leadership on innovative, inclusive governance and sustainable development.”
“…The fight against the deeply entrenched ecosystem of corruption (created by the 55-year rule, including first 30 years, by a single dynastic party in India) is a major factor behind Mr Modi’s ever-growing popularity,” the ambassador wrote.
In a follow-up post, Ramesh said the ambassador breached his service rules and should be sacked.
“I stand corrected. This Ambassador is actually a career diplomat which makes his comments even more shameful, disgraceful and completely unacceptable. He has actually breached service rules and should be sacked right away . This is unprofessional and disgraceful behaviour on his part-but is par for the Modi course I guess,” the Congress leader wrote.
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