Russia says US is interfering in India's domestic affairs and general election: 'Unfounded accusations'

Russia has accused the United States of meddling in the domestic affairs of India. Russian foreign ministry accused the White House of complicating the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and described the interference as a "colonial period mentality".

Moscow stated that Washington has not yet provided any reliable evidence of the baseless claims of involvement of Indian citizens in the murder plot of a Khalistani terrorist in that country.

The foreign ministry responded to a question regarding a recent report by the Washington Post, which claimed that an Indian intelligence officer hired a hit team to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

India has already issued a strong-worded response and denied the report, stating that the report made "unwarranted and unsubstantiated" imputations on a serious matter and that an investigation into the case was underway.

The ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, "According to the information we have, Washington has not yet provided any reliable evidence of the involvement of Indian citizens in the preparation of the murder of a certain G.S. Pannun. Speculation on this topic in the absence of evidence is unacceptable."

Last year in November, US federal prosecutors charged an Indian national with collaborating with an Indian government official in the failed conspiracy to assassinate Pannun, who was designated as a terrorist by India under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Zakharova further added that the US lacks an understanding of India's national mentality and history. She slammed the report for making "unfounded accusations" about religious freedoms in India.

"Regular unfounded accusations by the United States against New Delhi... we see that they groundlessly accuse not only India but also many other states... of violating religious freedoms are a reflection of the United States' misunderstanding of the national mentality, the historical context of the development of the Indian state and disrespect for India as a state," she said.

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'Complicating the general parliamentary elections'

As quoted by RT news, she said, "The reason is that they try to unbalance the internal political situation in India in order to complicate the general parliamentary elections. That is part of meddling in India’s internal affairs."

She added, "The Washington Post, it seems to me, should use the term "repressive regime" and everything you quoted in relation to Washington. It is difficult to imagine a more repressive regime than Washington, both in domestic and international affairs."

(With inputs from agencies)