Washington : The US today said it supports freedom of peaceful expression and non-violent protest everywhere in the world, but blamed "inaccurate reporting" in India for creating an impression that Washington had issued a strong statement on anti-graft protests there.
US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland refuted reports that the US had given any statement in direct support of Anna Hazare's movement, that had prompted a strong reaction by India.
Yesterday, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said, "US never supported any movement in India since its independence. For the first time, the US said that Anna Hazare's movement should be allowed and there should be no obstruction to it. What was the need for the US to give this statement?
"It needs to be considered whether there is any power which is supporting this movement which wants to destabilize not only the government but the country. We need to take the statement of the US seriously." (Read: ''Foreign hand" in Anna movement: baffling Congress allegation)
"There was some extremely inaccurate reporting out of India yesterday or today that the United States had issued some sort of strong statement, which we did not issue. The only statement about India yesterday to my knowledge was the one that we made from the podium here," State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, told reporters at her daily news conference.
Nuland was responding to questions about the statement by the Congress spokesman suggesting that the US was interfering in the internal affairs of the country.
"I think this goes to inaccurate reporting in India that we had issued some sort of statement on -- with regard to this case that we did not issue. With regard to the case, however, you know where we are. We support freedom of expression and assembly. And we encourage all countries and all parties to do the same," Nuland said.
US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland refuted reports that the US had given any statement in direct support of Anna Hazare's movement, that had prompted a strong reaction by India.
Yesterday, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said, "US never supported any movement in India since its independence. For the first time, the US said that Anna Hazare's movement should be allowed and there should be no obstruction to it. What was the need for the US to give this statement?
"There was some extremely inaccurate reporting out of India yesterday or today that the United States had issued some sort of strong statement, which we did not issue. The only statement about India yesterday to my knowledge was the one that we made from the podium here," State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, told reporters at her daily news conference.
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"I think this goes to inaccurate reporting in India that we had issued some sort of statement on -- with regard to this case that we did not issue. With regard to the case, however, you know where we are. We support freedom of expression and assembly. And we encourage all countries and all parties to do the same," Nuland said.
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