The Congress party in India is calling for the expulsion of Indian Ambassador to Ireland, Akhilesh Mishra, following accusations of violating diplomatic norms and engaging in partisan attacks against the opposition. Mishra’s alleged glorification of the Modi government while disparaging previous administrations, particularly the Congress, has sparked outrage within the party.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has criticized Mishra’s behavior, labeling him as a “party mercenary” for his public attacks on opposition parties. Ramesh emphasized that while ambassadors are expected to represent the government, engaging in political mudslinging is unacceptable and unprofessional.
The controversy arose from an editorial in the Irish Times titled ‘Modi tightens his grip’, which criticized the Modi government’s handling of opposition parties and highlighted issues such as the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal and the freezing of Congress bank accounts. In response, Mishra defended Modi in a letter to the Irish Times, praising the Prime Minister’s leadership and development initiatives while implicitly criticizing previous governments for corruption.
The Congress party asserts that Mishra’s actions undermine diplomatic decorum and disqualify him from holding the ambassadorial post. They demand his removal, citing his partisan behavior as a disgrace to the country.
