"Disgraceful": Row Over Envoy's "Single Dynastic Party" Jab At Congress

The Congress has objected to an Indian envoy accusing a "single dynastic party" of corruption in remarks published in a leading Irish daily. Akhilesh Mishra, the Indian ambassador to Ireland, made the remarks in a rejoinder after the embassy termed an editorial published in The Irish Times "highly biased and prejudiced".

The Congress denounced the remarks and said that an ambassador is not expected to attack the Opposition openly.

The editorial "Modi tightens his grip", while predicting a comfortable third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, mentioned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and tax cases against opposition leaders. Contesting the claims, the Indian embassy said it cast aspersions on the Prime Minister, democracy, law enforcement institutions, and the "Hindu-majority" people of India.

In a rejoinder, Mr Mishra praised the Modi government's fight against corruption that he blamed on the "55-year misrule by a single dynastic party".

"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. There is huge sense of relief at the grass-root level to witness action being taken and recoveries made from the rich and powerful elites who operated with a sense of entitlement of impunity," said Mr Mishra.

In a prompt backlash, the Congress's communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh questioned the ambassador's "unprofessional and disgraceful behaviour".

"Defending the Government of India is one thing and is to be expected. But to attack Opposition parties openly in this manner like a party apparatchik is not expected from an Ambassador even if he be a political appointment. This is unprofessional and disgraceful behaviour on his part-but is par for the Modi course I guess," said Mr Ramesh.

In a follow-up post, he 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," added the senior Congress leader.

Mr Mishra, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1989 batch, was posted as the Indian ambassador to Ireland in Dublin in October 2021. He posted an Officer on Special Duty in the foreign ministry prior to this. He has also served as the ambassador to Maldives (2016-19), Consul General in Toronto (2013-16), and Deputy Chief of Mission in Kabul (2008-10).