External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday asserted that India’s own national security interests are involved in its investigation into the alleged involvement of a government official in the plot to assassinate ‘Khalistan’ supporter Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (Photo/ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday asserted that India’s own national security interests are involved in its investigation into the alleged involvement of a government official in the plot to assassinate ‘Khalistan’ supporter Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
“It is something we are investigating as we believe our own national security interests are involved in that investigation,” he told reporters when asked for his reaction to US Ambassador Eric Garcetti’s remarks that the involvement of a government official in the assassination bid on the citizen of another country is an “unacceptable red line”.
In an interview with a news agency, Mr. Garcetti acknowledged that India and the United States are working together in investigating the alleged foiled assassination plot against Pannun. However, he also emphasized that a ‘red line’ should not be crossed and no government employee of any country can be involved in an assassination plot of a foreign citizen.
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To this, Mr Jaishankar said the US Ambassador would say what he feels is the thinking or position of his government. “The position of my government is that in this particular case, there has been certain information provided to us which we are investigating,” he said, adding that India’s security interest is involved. “So, as and when we have something to say on the investigation we would be very glad to speak about it. At this point, beyond the fact that there is an investigation going on, we have nothing more to say,” he said.
Pannun is an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship. He has issued open threats against India on several occasions in recent months.
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