Committed to law: PM Modi on Pannun assassination plot allegations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has broken his silence on an alleged plot by an Indian official to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is a United States (US) citizen. In an exclusive interview with The Financial Times, PM Modi said he would "look into" any evidence related to the allegations. However, he maintained that "few incidents" would not derail US-India ties.
Why does this story matter?
In November, The Financial Times reported that the US foiled an attack on Pannun on its soil and raised concern about India's potential involvement in the plot. Following this, India appointed a committee to probe the case. The accused, Nikhil Gupta, who is an Indian national, was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30 and is awaiting extradition to the US.
Will look into information on assassination plot: PM Modi
Speaking to FT, PM Modi said, "If someone gives us any information, we will look into it." "If a citizen of ours has done anything good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to the rule of law," he said. Modi expressed concern over extremist groups that, according to him, "incite violence" under the guise of freedom of expression.
Modi says few incidents cannot derail India-US ties
Commenting on India-US relations, Modi stated, "There is strong bipartisan support for the strengthening of this relationship, which is a clear indicator of a mature and stable partnership." He described "security and counter-terrorism cooperation" as a critical component of India-US collaboration. However, he emphasized that a few incidents—possibly referring to the Pannun assassination plot—cannot be linked to the diplomatic ties between the two countries.
PM Modi invokes multilateralism to downplay assassination plot
"We need to accept the fact that we are living in the era of multilateralism," PM Modi said. "The world is interconnected as well as interdependent. This reality compels us to recognize that absolute agreement on all matters cannot be a prerequisite for collaboration."
Assassination plot charges made by US
Last month, the US Department of Justice indicted an Indian official for planning Pannun's assassination. The indictment alleges that Gupta hired a hitman—who turned out to be an undercover US agent—to carry out the murder. Gupta was arrested on June 30, days after the murder of another Khalistani separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada, which also accused India of being involved in Nijjar's killing.
