Lowest Turnout More Than Your Highest: S Jaishankar On West's Poll Critique

The minister emphasised the need to stand up to these kinds of attacks and criticisms.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has hit out at the Western media, emphasising that they criticise our democracy because they think they are also political players in our election and not because they lack information.

Addressing a forum for nationalist thinkers in Hyderabad on Tuesday, the minister said, "I get a lot of these noises from the Western press and if they criticise our democracy, it's not because they lack information. It is because they think they are also political players in our election."

Mr Jaishankar said that in an article by the Western media, they asked why elections were being held amid a heatwave in India. "Now I read that article and I wanted to say listen, in that heat my lowest turnout is higher than your highest turnout in the best run," Mr Jaishankar said.