WASHINGTON: On Monday, the White House expressed grave concern over the reported involvement of the Indian intelligence service in assassination plots. They deemed it a serious matter affecting both Canada and the United States.
According to The Washington Post, an Indian intelligence officer was directly linked to a foiled assassination attempt. The target was a US citizen known for criticizing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It said the officer was also involved in the separate shooting death of a Sikh activist last June in Canada.
India’s foreign ministry said the Washington Post report made “unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter” while New Delhi is investigating the issue.
“Speculative and irresponsible comments on it are not helpful,” foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.
“This is a serious matter, and we’re taking that very, very seriously,” White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. “We’re going to continue to raise our concerns.”
US authorities revealed in November that an Indian government official directed the attempted murder plot of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Pannun is a Sikh separatist and holds dual citizenship in the United States and Canada.
Moreover, the White House reiterated the imperative of transparency in handling allegations of Indian assassination plots. Stressing the importance of accountability, officials called for cooperation from all involved parties. Furthermore, the White House emphasized the necessity of international cooperation to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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