Indian ambassador to Ireland, Akhilesh Mishra, has come under fire for criticising the previous Congress government as a "55-year misrule by a single dynastic party" and heaping praised on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mishra's remarks came in response to an editorial published in The Irish Times, which raised concerns about the state of democracy and free speech in India amid the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
In a letter to the editors of The Irish Times, Mishra vehemently defended Modi and lauded his leadership and integrity on global platforms.
He countered the editorial's stance of an "intolerant Hindu-first majoritarianism" by highlighting Modi's popularity and his government's efforts against corruption. The envoy went on to attribute the corruption issues to the "55-year misrule by a single dynastic party," a thinly veiled reference to the Congress party.
“The fight against the deeply entrenched ecosystem of corruption (created by the 55-year rule, including first 30 years, by a single dynastic party in India) is a major factor behind Mr Modi’s ever growing popularity,” Mishra said in his letter.
'Unprofessional and disgraceful behaviour'
However, Mishra's remarks did not sit well with the Congress, who slammed hiscomments as "unprofessional" and "disgraceful." Jairam Ramesh, the Congress's communications in-charge, called for Mishra's dismissal, accusing him of breaching service rules by openly criticising the political opposition.
"Defending the Government of India is one thing and is to be expected. But to attack Opposition parties openly in this manner like a party apparatchik is not expected from an Ambassador even if he be a political appointment. This is unprofessional and disgraceful behaviour on his part-but is par for the Modi course I guess," said Ramesh. "This Ambassador is actually a career diplomat which makes his comments even more shameful, disgraceful and completely unacceptable. He has actually breached service rules and should be sacked right away."
Who is Akhilesh Mishra?
Mishra, a career diplomat, hails from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and has over three decades of experience in the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). His career spans across wide spectrum of responsibilities, from political and security affairs to economic and commercial issues, from cultural engagements to development partnerships.
Before his posting in Dublin, Mishra held several key positions within the Ministry of External Affairs, including Officer on Special Duty (Political) and Head of Development Partnership Administration. He has also served as Ambassador of India to Maldives and Consul General of India in Toronto, Canada.
A polyglot, Mishra is fluent in English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Spanish, Italian and Nepalese. He earned his Bachelor and Master degrees in Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University.
Mishra is said to be passionate about Indian culture, literature and spirituality, with keen interest in Sanskrit Vedic and classical literature, Hindi and Urdu poetry, as well as yoga and meditation.
