The United States revealed on Thursday that India has conveyed its “surprise and concern” upon discovering the existence of a “foiled plot” to assassinate Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The White House’s National Security Council (NSC) Spokesperson, Adrienne Watson, conveyed that the U.S. government is treating the matter with the utmost gravity and has conveyed to the Indian government that those responsible must be held accountable.
This revelation comes on the heels of a report by the UK-based Financial Times, asserting that the United States had successfully thwarted an assassination plot against Pannun and issued a stern warning to the Indian government over potential involvement in the scheme.
Indian authorities have expressed both surprise and concern over these developments, categorically denying any involvement and stating that such activities are not in alignment with their government’s policies. Senior officials of President Joe Biden-government have confirmed that a comprehensive investigation into the matter has been initiated by the Indian government, with further details expected to be disclosed in the near future.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, originating from Amritsar, is widely recognized as the founder and leader of Sikhs for Justice, a pro-Khalistan advocacy organization based in New York. Pannun had previously been booked by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 on charges of allegedly threatening passengers traveling via Air India and the airline itself with a global blockade and the cessation of operations, commencing on November 19.
This revelation adds to the complexity of the ongoing Sikh separatism issue. The alleged plot against Pannun comes after Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist based in Surrey, Canada, was gunned down in June this year. In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged “credible allegations” connecting the Indian government to Nijjar’s assassination, leading to a diplomatic standoff between the two nations.
