New Delhi: Amid India’s concerns over the allegations levelled by the US over the alleged foiled killing attempt of Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, said that both nations have been working together in the investigation but emphasised that the countries should not cross the “red lines”. Garcetti, who has been actively partaking in the issues related to India and the US, participated in an ANI podcast, where he talked about several pressing issues between the two democracies.
Without mentioning further, Garcetti said no government employee of any country can be involved in an assassination plot of a foreign citizen. “I think that’s absolutely critical. For any of us, just abstractly, that has to be a red line. No government or government employee can be involved in the alleged assassination of one of your own citizens. That’s just an unacceptable red line,” Garcetti said.
“Any country, having an active member of their government involved in a second country trying to assassinate one of their citizens. That’s, I think, usually a red line for any country. That’s a basic issue of sovereignty. That’s a basic issue of rights,” he added.
Why the US is reluctant to deport Gurupatwant Singh Pannun
When asked about the deportation requests for Pannun made by the Indian government, Garcetti opined that “an American citizen can be convicted or deported only according to the country’s laws.” Besides, he responded defensively when asked about the anti-India protests in America and asserted that the “US system protects free speech “for better or for worse”.
“When people do step over the line saying something will be bombed as opposed to saying somebody shouldn’t fly. In the United States freedom of speech, we want success for anybody if there’s a criminal accusation to actually reach the threshold that would have a successful outcome,” said Garcetti.
“Under our law, for an American citizen to be convicted in an American court or to be deported to have a criminal case in another country, it has to meet our law, and so we’ll continue working. And if anybody ever says something that steps over that line, and I know it’s gotten very close, we will be working together on that,” he added.
Foiled killing attempt of Pannun
Notably, earlier in March last year, a group of pro-Khalistani protesters attacked and damaged the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, prompting sharp condemnation from Indian Americans as well as the Indian government, who demanded immediate action against those responsible for it. As of now, the investigation is currently underway. Garcetti, however, stressed that New Delhi and Washington are working together to hold those behind criminal action. The American diplomat said this shows how strong and close the India-US relationship currently is.
As per the US Justice Department indictment, an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, who is currently in custody, has been charged with the murder-for-hire of Pannun. The US Justice Department had claimed that an Indian government employee, who was not identified in the indictment filed, had recruited Gupta to hire a hitman to allegedly assassinate Pannun, which was foiled by US authorities.
The US envoy also appreciated that India set an inquiry commission to look into the matter. “I was very pleased that India put together this commission of inquiry, put senior people who are experienced in law enforcement on that, and that they have been digging in on this side domestically to uncover any evidence that would show a murder-for-hire plot that included anybody who was from the Indian government,” he said. “I think, strongly, but so far, everything that’s been asked of the Indian government has been done. And I would say vice versa. Whenever there is accusations the other direction, we take that incredibly seriously,” Garcetti added.
(With inputs from agency)