Page 8 - The Indian EYE 052424

NATION MAY 24, 2024 | The Indian Eye 8

Earlier this week, the Ministry of
External Affairs reiterated that Can-
ada has not provided any “specific”
evidence or relevant information in
the Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing case
and that no “formal communication”
has been provided to India over the
arrests of three Indians allegedly in-
volved in the matter.”No specific or
relevant evidence or information has
been given to us in this matter. Can-
ada has informed us about the arrest.
But we have not got any formal com-
munication...” MEA Spokesperson
said on the arrest of three Indian na-
tions in Canada in Nijjar killing.
On being asked if India has given
consular access to the three Indians
arrested in the Nijjar Killing case, the
MEA said that they have not received
any request from the Canadian side
for the same as the accused have not
asked for the consular access yet.
Meanwhile, stating that the inves-
tigation into the alleged plot to assas-
sinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpat-
want Singh Pannun is an ongoing legal Members of JAGO party and Sikh Welfare Organisation protest march against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New Delhi (ANI File Photo)
matter, the US State Department said
it “won’t speak” until “allegations are
proved” before a jury. in Manhattan, had recruited Indian by the United States against New said that a High-Level Committee
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an national Nikhil Gupta to hire a hit- Delhi (we see that they groundlessly set up by the Indian government is
India-designated terrorist who holds man to allegedly assassinate Panun, accuse not only India but also many carrying out an investigation into the
American and Canadian citizenship. which was foiled by US authorities. other states) of violating religious security concerns shared by the US
“There’s a publicly returned indict- In a related development, rub- freedoms are a reflection of the Unit- government on networks of organized
ment that contains alleged facts or al- bishing the allegations by the US on ed States’ misunderstanding of the criminals, terrorists, and others.
legations. Until they’re proven before India for a foiled assassination plot national mentality, the historical con- “The report in question makes
a jury that anyone can go and read, I against pro-Khalistan radical Gur- text of the development of the Indi- unwarranted and unsubstantiated im-
won’t speak to them here because, of patwant Singh Pannun, the Russian an state and disrespect for India as a putations on a serious matter. There
course, it’s an ongoing legal matter, Foreign Ministry said that Washing- state . I am sure that this also comes is an ongoing investigation of the
and I’ll leave it at that,” spokesperson ton has not yet provided any reliable from the neocolonial mentality, the High-Level Committee set up by the
Matthew Miller said at a State Depart- evidence of the involvement of Indian mentality of the colonial period, the Government of India to look into the
ment briefing on Thursday (local time). citizens in the case. period of the slave trade, and imperi- security concerns shared by the US
Miller’s remarks came in re- “According to the information alism,” she said. government on networks of organ-
sponse to a media query on Pannun’s we have, Washington has not yet pro- “This does not only apply to In- ised criminals, terrorists and others.
case investigation. vided any reliable evidence of the dia. The reason is the desire to unbal- Speculative and irresponsible com-
Notably, a Czech court has ruled involvement of Indian citizens in the ance the internal political situation in ments on it are not helpful.”
that Prague can extradite to the Unit- preparation of the murder of a cer- India in order to complicate the gen- Citing officials and a US indict-
ed States the 52-year-old Indian, tain GS Pannun. Speculation on this eral parliamentary elections taking ment, the Washington Post report
Nikhil Gupta, who is accused by the topic in the absence of evidence is un- place in the country. Of course, this is claimed that the RAW official iden-
United States of involvement in the acceptable,” the official spokeswom- part of interference in India’s internal tified as Vikram Yadav had directed
alleged attempt to kill Sikh separatist an of the Russian Foreign Ministry, affairs,” she added. Indian businessman Nikhil Gupta, to
leader Pannun, a Czech-based media Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on The External Affairs Ministry, hire a hitman to kill Pannun outside
outlet Seznam Zpravy reported, cit- Wednesday (local time). in April, had rejected a report in The his New York residence.
ing judicial database Infosoud. She said that the US does not Washington Post naming Indian Re- The US Justice Department has
As per the US Justice Depart- understand the national mentality, search and Analysis Wing (RAW) of- claimed that Indian government em-
ment indictment, Indian national as well as the historical context of the ficial’s involvement in the alleged post ployee (named CC-1), who was not
Nikhil Gupta is currently in custody development of the Indian state and it to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant identified in the indictment filed in a
and has been charged with murder- disrespects India as a state. Singh Pannun in the US. federal court in Manhattan, recruit-
for-hire, which carries a maximum Zakharova’s remarks came in Describing it as an “unwarranted ed an Indian national named Nikhil
sentence of 10 years in prison. Czech response to a media query on Mos- and unsubstantiated” imputation on a Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the
authorities arrested and detained cow’s reaction to accusations against “serious matter” that is under inves- assassination, which was foiled by US
Gupta on June 30, 2023, under the bi- an Indian official of a foiled “assassi- tigation, Ministry of External Affairs authorities, according to prosecutors.
lateral extradition treaty between the nation” plot, and the American news (MEA) official spokesperson Rand- Following this, MEA said that a
United States and the Czech Republic. publication ‘The Washington Post’ hir Jaiswal said the US media report case filed against an individual in a US
The US Justice Department had stating that India is trying to do the was “speculative and irresponsible”. court and allegedly linking him to an
claimed that an Indian government same as Russia and Saudi Arabia In response to media queries on Indian official is a “matter of concern”
employee, who was not identified in against its enemy. the report that appeared in Washing- and is contrary to government policy.
the indictment filed in a federal court “Regular unfounded accusations ton Post, a US national daily, Jaiswal India has also set up a high-level
committee to probe the matter.
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