Page 6 - The Indian EYE 041224

NATION APRIL 12, 2024 | The Indian Eye 6

INDIA-WEST RELATIONS

With US pushing India on Pannun, Canada

accuses New Delhi of election interference

In response to the US envoy’s comments, EAM S Jaishankar on April 1 had said that the

case was being investigated based on information provided

OUR BUREAU time) alleged that the Government
of India had “intent to interfere and
Washington, DC/Ottawa/New Delhi
likely conducted clandestine activi-
he US Department of State ties,” including using an Indian Gov-
reiterated on Wednesday its ernment proxy agent in Canada.
Tcommitment to conduct a full The report claims those “clan-
investigation into the alleged foiled destine activities” include the provi-
assassination plot against India des- sion of “illicit financial support” to
ignated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh candidates.
Pannun and said that they have made The Canadian spy agency al-
it clear to the Indian government to leged that the Government of India
do the same. is targeting Canadian elections and
In the daily press briefing of the diaspora communities as part of a
US State Department, when being wider attempt to “align Canada’s po-
asked if the US received a report of sitions with India’s interests on key
India’s internal investigation in the issues.”
case, US Department of State offi- Similar allegations had come
cial spokesperson, Mathew Miller, to the fore earlier this year and had
denied sharing any details and as- been strongly denied by the Ministry
serted that they are looking forward of External Affairs.
to the results of the investigation on On February 8, the MEA
the Indian side. spokesperson said “We have seen
“So I’m not going to speak to me- the media reports about the CCIS in-
dia reports. I will just say that we have quiry into Indian interference in Ca-
made clear to the Government of In- nadian elections. We strongly reject
dia that we want to see them conduct such baseless allegations of Indian
a full investigation, and we continue interference in Canadian elections,
to look forward to the results of that it is not the Government of India’s
investigation, but I don’t have any Policy to interfere in the democratic
updates to offer,” Miller said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at a press conference in New Delhi (ANI) process of other countries. In fact, it
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an is Canada which is interfering in our
India-designated terrorist who holds internal affairs and we have raised
American and Canadian citizenship. Washington are working together to Nikhil Gupta, who is currently in cus- this with them.”
He has repeatedly issued threats hold those behind criminal action, tody, has been charged with the mur- In July 2021, the Security Intel-
against India. shows how strong and close the In- der-for-hire of Pannun. The US Jus- ligence Threats to Elections (SITE)
Earlier, US Ambassador to In- dia-US relationship currently is. tice Department had claimed that an Task Force, comprising high-ranking
dia, Eric Garcetti acknowledged In response to the US envoy’s Indian government employee, who civil servants from various Canadi-
that India and the United States are comments EAM S Jaishankar on was not identified in the indictment an agencies conducted a briefing for
working together in the investigation April 1 had said that the case was filed, had recruited Gupta to hire a hit- political parties regarding insights
of the alleged foiled assassination being investigated based on informa- man to allegedly assassinate Pannun, gleaned from the 2019 election.
plot against Khalistani terrorist Gur- tion provided. “The US ambassador, which was foiled by US authorities. CBC reports that in 2019, SITE
patwant Singh Pannun. He, howev- as an ambassador, will say what he Meanwhile, the Canadian spy wrote that it observed “foreign inter-
er, also emphasized that a ‘red line’ thinks is the position of his govern- agency, Canadian Security Intelli- ference activities targeting certain
should not be crossed and no govern- ment. The position of my government gence Service (CSIS) has claimed ridings and candidates about the
ment employee of any country can be is that in this particular case, there has that the Governments of India and election, directed largely from China,
involved in an assassination plot of a been certain information provided Pakistan have attempted to interfere and to a lesser extent from India and
foreign citizen. to us that we are investigating, Jais- in Canada’s federal polls in 2019 and Pakistan, through the use of human
Further referring to the ongoing hankar said while addressing a press 2021, reported Canadian Broadcast- agents.”
investigation into the alleged plot conference in the national capital. ing Corporation (CBC). The document, further said that
to assassinate Pannun, Garcetti said As per the US Justice Depart- Documents made public by the “none of the activities met the thresh-
that the fact that New Delhi and ment indictment, an Indian national, CSIS, late Thursday night (local old to pursue criminal investigations.”

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