America has accused India of a conspiracy to murder Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu.
It is being said that this whole incident may sour the relations between India and America. However, America has made its stand clear on this issue.
The White House, the official residence of the US President, said on Thursday that this will not affect the relations between the two countries.
The Biden administration said India’s allegations of involvement in the alleged plot to assassinate Pannu would not affect Washington’s strategic ties with New Delhi. However, he said that America takes such matters seriously.
“India remains a strategic partner, and we will continue to work with India to improve and strengthen that strategic partnership,” White House spokesman John Kirby said during a press briefing. “At the same time, we take these allegations and this investigation very seriously.”
Earlier, the US termed India’s announcement of an investigation into the allegations of an Indian officer’s involvement in a conspiracy to kill a Sikh separatist on its soil as “good and appropriate” and said that it will continue the investigation. Is optimistic about the findings.
On Wednesday, federal prosecutors in the US alleged that a man named Nikhil Gupta had conspired with an Indian government official to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu in a failed plot. Pannu has citizenship of America and Canada.
India on Thursday described the US linking of an Indian official with a man accused of plotting the killing of a Sikh separatist on American soil as a “matter of concern”. The Ministry of External Affairs said that further action will be taken based on the findings of the committee formed to investigate the allegations.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters present with him in Tel Aviv, “The government has announced today that it is conducting an investigation, so that is good and appropriate.” We are hopeful about the outcome of the investigation.”
“This is a legal matter,” he said. So you can understand that I cannot discuss this in detail. I can say that we are taking this very seriously. We have raised this issue with the Government of India in the past weeks.
In this matter, the White House has also welcomed the announcement of investigation by India. It also said that this will not affect the relations between India and America.
“We take these allegations very seriously and we are pleased that India has also announced an investigation,” John Kirby, coordinator of strategic communications at the National Security Council at the White House, told reporters here. We are very clear that the person responsible for this alleged crime should be held accountable.” He said that this will not affect the relations between India and America. “I won’t say anything about the ongoing investigation,” Kirby said in response to a question. I will just say two things. India is a strategic partner and we will continue to work to improve and strengthen the strategic partnership with India. At the same time, we are taking it very seriously.
On Wednesday, federal prosecutors in the US alleged that a man named Nikhil Gupta had conspired with an Indian government employee to assassinate Pannu in a plot that was foiled. US federal prosecutors told a Manhattan court on Wednesday that Czech Republic authorities have arrested Gupta and he is currently awaiting extradition to the US.
This allegation has been made by Washington in relation to the failed conspiracy at a time when, just a few weeks ago, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had alleged that Indian agents were involved in the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a Vancouver suburb in June. .
India had completely rejected Trudeau’s allegations. Pannu, the leader of the so-called ‘Sikhs for Justice’ organization, is wanted by Indian investigative agencies on several terrorism charges.