As top universities across the United States continue to witness protests against Israel’s military action in Gaza, India on Thursday said every democracy must strike the right balance between freedom of expression, accountability and public safety.
U.S. authorities arrested hundreds of students in an effort to quell the protests.
“We have seen reports on this matter and have been following relevant incidents. In every democratic country, there must be an appropriate balance between freedom of expression, responsibility, and public safety and order,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Landesh Randhir Jaiswal said in his speech. Weekly media briefing.
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“Democracies in particular should show this understanding towards other democracies. After all, we are all judged by what we do at home, not what we say abroad,” he said in response to a question.
Jaiswal said Indian students or their families have not yet sought help from the Indian Embassy in Washington or the Indian Consulate in the United States regarding disciplinary action for participating in university protests.
“We expect all citizens at home and abroad to abide by local laws and regulations,” he said.