John Kirby calls Russian claims of US interference in India’s elections “ridiculous”

Washington DC [US], September 5, (ANI): John Kirby, the White House’s national security communications adviser, dismissed as “ridiculous” the allegations made by a senior Russian official that the United States had interfered in India’s 18th Lok Sabha elections, which took place in May this year.

The remarks by Kirby came as he held a press briefing alongside White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday.

When asked about a senior Russian official’s claim in May that the US was attempting to interfere in India’s elections, Kirby said, “It’s not true! it’s a ridiculous claim.”

In a statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova alleged in May that the United States was attempting to disrupt India’s domestic political landscape, aiming to complicate the country’s general parliamentary elections.

She had said, “…The reason is the desire to unbalance the internal political situation in India in order to complicate the general parliamentary elections taking place in the country. Of course, this is part of interference in India’s internal affairs,” Zakharova said.

During the briefing, Kirby also spoke on Russia’s “attempt to interfere” in the 2024 presidential election and said, “The Department of Justice, the Department of Treasury, and the State Department took a series of coordinated actions against foreign actors associated with the Russian government who are attempting to covertly influence our elections.”

US have found that RT (Russia Today) was being used by the Russian government to spread propaganda, influence elections, and shape policies in the US and other countries.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA secured 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. BJP won 240 seats on its own. In the 543-strong lower house of the Indian parliament, 272 is the minimum majority figure.

PM Modi’s leadership of the NDA was formally endorsed, with crucial support from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United).

Notably, PM Modi is the second Indian leader to win a third term after founding prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.