Kolkata: Minister of Foreign Affairs S Jaishankar vehemently criticized western nations and their media apparatuses for perpetuating an anti-India narrative and engaging in psychological manipulation during electoral processes.
Addressing an assembly in Kolkata on Tuesday, he lambasted the western press for its unfavorable depiction of Indian elections. Jaishankar remarked that nations which “resort to legal proceedings to determine electoral outcomes” are offering lectures on conducting elections.
Labeling this behavior as “psychological manipulation,” Jaishankar mocked the West, stating that nations resorting to legal avenues to settle election results are lecturing India. “They (newspapers) will tarnish your reputation, someone will compile an index and rank you negatively… Nations that resort to legal measures to decide election outcomes are lecturing us on how to conduct elections. This is the psychological manipulation taking place globally,” he asserted.
In a satirical vein, he commented that Western nations ‘perceive’ they have wielded influence over the world for the past 200 years, hence they find it difficult to relinquish their ‘old habits.’ The Minister was speaking during an interaction following the release of the Bangla version of his book ‘Why Bharat Matters’ in Kolkata on Tuesday.
“They (Western nations) aspire to influence us because many of these nations believe they have shaped this world for the last 70-80 years… Western nations genuinely believe they have shaped global affairs for the past 200 years. How can you expect individuals accustomed to such a position to easily abandon these entrenched habits,” the Minister expressed at the event.
He remarked that Western media desire a particular “class of individuals” to govern the nation and feel ‘unsettled’ when the Indian electorate deviates from their expectations. “Why are these newspapers so critical of India? Because they envision an India that does not conform to their ideal. They desire individuals, ideologies, or lifestyles… they desire that particular class of individuals to lead this nation, and they are perturbed when the Indian populace thinks otherwise,” Jaishankar stated.
He also highlighted instances where Western media “openly endorsed candidates and political parties.” “In some cases, Western media openly support candidates and political parties, they do not conceal their preferences. They are quite astute, individuals engaged in this dominance game for 300 years, they possess experience, they are clever,” the Minister remarked.
Further commending the high voter turnout in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections despite scorching temperatures, Jaishankar remarked, “Even in this election, I observe the commentary. In this nation, even amidst the most intense summer, observe the percentage of individuals who cast their votes.”
Previously, Jaishankar censured the Western media for its negative portrayal of Indian democracy, “I often hear these criticisms from the Western press and if they disparage our democracy, it is not due to lack of information. It is because they perceive themselves as political actors in our elections,” he remarked at a forum for nationalist intellectuals in Hyderabad in April.
Referencing an article questioning the timing of the Indian elections during a heatwave, Jaishankar remarked, “Upon reading that article, I wished to convey, in that heat, my lowest turnout exceeds your highest turnout in the most well-organized election.” The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 are being conducted over seven phases, with vote counting scheduled for June 4. The initial four phases were conducted on April 19, April 26, May 7, and May 13, while the remaining phases will occur on May 20, May 27, and June 1.