India on Friday took strong exception to the US wading into a domestic political debate on corruption.

Reacting to a statement by the US state department asking India to exercise "democratic restraint" while handling the anti-corruption fast by Anna Hazare, the external affairs ministry said, "Freedoms of speech and expression, as well as, of peaceful assembly, are enshrined in the Constitution of India and exercised by citizens of this country of 1.2 billion people."

Civil society activist Anna Hazare is scheduled to begin another fast on the Lokpal Bill on August 16. Hazare threatened to stop drinking water if the government arrests him before or during the fast and tries to force feed him.