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Washington: India is taking seriously the allegations surrounding a plot to kill an American citizen, the United States stated on Tuesday. A delegation of visiting Indian officials met with officials from the State Department and the Department of Justice.
“I don't have a readout on the meeting yet. The meeting was here as a follow-up on conversations we have been having with the Government of India at the senior-most levels over the past several months,” said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller during his daily news conference.
“They have told us that they are taking the allegations seriously, that the activities contained in the DOJ indictment do not represent government policy,” Miller added in response to a question.
“The meeting that happened this week or that is happening today by India's inquiry was to discuss their active investigation into the matter, for us to update them on our active investigation into the matter, and to continue to share sides about steps that could happen in the days and weeks to come,” he explained.
These remarks followed the establishment of an Indian inquiry committee to investigate allegations of an Indian government official's involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate a US national. In November last year, US federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta with collaborating with an Indian government employee in the alleged plot to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic in June and extradited to the US on June 14.
India has denied these allegations and formed an internal investigation team to address the claims.
Concerns Over Canada’s Allegations
In a related matter, the United States has claimed that India is not cooperating with Canada regarding its investigation into the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year.
“When it comes to the Canadian matter, we have made clear that the allegations are extremely serious and they need to be taken seriously. We wanted to see the government of India cooperate with Canada in its investigation. Obviously, they have not chosen that path,” Miller stated.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently alleged that officials of the Indian government were involved in the assassination of Nijjar in Surrey last June. “The RCMP has clear and compelling evidence that agents of the Government of India have engaged in, and continue to engage in, activities that pose a significant threat to public safety,” Trudeau asserted, citing clandestine information gathering, coercive behaviour targeting South Asian Canadians, and involvement in threatening and violent acts.
India's Firm Stance
Rejecting the allegations, India called back its High Commissioner from Canada and expelled six of its diplomats from New Delhi. “Since Prime Minister Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, the Canadian government has not shared a shred of evidence with the Government of India, despite many requests from our side,” the Ministry of External Affairs stated.
India’s statement continued, “This latest step follows interactions that have again witnessed assertions without any facts. This leaves little doubt that on the pretext of an investigation, there is a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains.”
The Ministry highlighted Trudeau's historical hostility towards India, referencing his past visits and associations with individuals promoting separatist ideologies. They argued that Trudeau’s government has facilitated space for violent extremists and terrorists to intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada.
“This has included death threats to them and to Indian leaders. All these activities have been justified in the name of freedom of speech,” India added.
US Stance on India-Canada Relations
While the United States refrained from commenting extensively on the ongoing India-Canada diplomatic row, Miller reiterated, “I don't have any comment on that. But as we've said before, they're serious allegations. And we have wanted to see India take them seriously and cooperate with Canada's investigation. They have chosen an alternate path.”
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