US Ambassador Eric Garcetti emphasized that no government employee of any nation should be implicated in an assassination plot targeting a foreign citizen.
New Delhi: Responding to US Ambassador Eric Garcetti’s remark on the ‘red line’ regarding the alleged assassination attempt of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that India has been actively investigating the matter based on information provided. Jaishankar highlighted that while Garcetti presents the stance of his government, India’s investigation is driven by the imperative to safeguard its own security interests.
“The investigation is being pursued as it pertains to our national security concerns,” Jaishankar asserted.
He added, “We will provide updates on the investigation as and when we have substantial information to share. Presently, apart from confirming the ongoing investigation, we refrain from further comments.”
Last year, American authorities charged an Indian national, in collaboration with an Indian government official, for allegedly orchestrating a $100,000 contract to assassinate Pannun, a pro-Khalistan figure based in New York.
In a recent interview, US Ambassador Eric Garcetti affirmed bilateral cooperation on the investigation but cautioned against breaching diplomatic boundaries.
Garcetti emphasized, “When individuals exceed the bounds, moving from expressing discontent to threatening violence, it undermines the principles of free speech. While advocating justice is important, any government involvement in plotting an assassination is unequivocally unacceptable.”
Garcetti reiterated, “The involvement of a government or its officials in planning an assassination of a foreign national is a clear violation of sovereignty and individual rights, constituting a red line for any nation.”
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has a history of issuing terrorist threats against India. In November, he threatened to impede Air India operations, followed by a threat to target the Indian Parliament in December.
Source: ANI, PTI