The United States (US) is currently providing open protection to Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, a known Khalistani terrorist. It is imperative for India to raise this issue on an international platform and disabuse the US of the notion that it can shield individuals who pose a threat to Indian interests.
Donald Lu, a diplomat from the US State Department responsible for Central and South Asia, recently stated that the alleged murder plot involving Pannu is a serious matter, and the US administration is taking it very seriously. Additionally, Bloomberg released a report on the same day, citing unnamed officials, which claimed that rogue Indian government officials without authorization from New Delhi were involved in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Pannu in New York.
The Indian government has not issued any statements regarding the revelations in the Bloomberg report. However, the statements made by Donald Lu and the claims in the Bloomberg report indicate that the US is openly attempting to shield a terrorist under the guise of "freedom of speech."
The notion that threatening to kill India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, or carrying out attacks on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), and even calling for the bombing of a civilian airliner, falls under the umbrella of "freedom of speech" defies all logic.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the leader of the Khalistani terrorist organization Sikh for Justice (SFJ), has been on the radar of various Indian agencies due to his involvement in terrorism, contract killings, drug trafficking, and extortion. India declared SFJ a terrorist organization in 2019.
While the US expects the Indian government to take action on the alleged murder-for-hire plot, it conveniently ignores Pannu and SFJ's threats against India and high-ranking Indian embassy officials. Pannu and his terror group SFJ have previously targeted India's consulate in San Francisco, obstructed the visit of National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials to the US, celebrated the assassins of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and announced a $10,000 bounty for Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma.
The US has not taken any action against Khalistanis involved in terrorist and criminal activities against Indians, whether in India or the US, despite India sharing numerous proofs and evidence with US authorities over time.
Furthermore, the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman involved in planning the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai alongside Pakistani-American Daood Sayed Gilani (aka David Coleman Headley, who is currently serving a 35-year prison sentence for his role in the 26/11 attacks), has been delayed by the US government for over a decade. It is evident that the US government does not want the extradition to occur and is using the excuse of due process, as a US court has yet to make a decision on Rana's extradition petition.
In fact, the Indian government should not have agreed to initiate inquiries without visible US actions against Pannu, his associates, and the 26/11 convicts Rana and Headley. India is not obligated to conduct inquiries simply because the US Department of Justice (DoJ) filed a charge sheet in a New York district court. It should be noted that neither the US DoJ nor the New York District Court holds jurisdiction in India.
This situation gives rise to the perception that the US enjoys special privileges and is held to a different standard compared to other nations that are accountable for similar actions. The assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani serves as a recent example.
These selective actions by the US not only frustrate India but also raise concerns about the consistency of international law enforcement and the guiding principles behind it.
India's concerns for the safety of its citizens should not be subject to scrutiny by US State Department officials who lack awareness of the region's complex history and are influenced by the whims and ideologies of the current US administration. The same scrutiny does not apply when the situation is reversed.
While the US has the ability to assassinate anyone threatening US citizens globally, other nations struggle to even have such individuals listed as terrorists.
The reluctance of international bodies like Interpol to act against Pannu exemplifies the double standards at play. Notably, Interpol has rejected India's request to issue a red corner notice against Pannu.
Whenever other nations attempt to take action, they are discredited by raising concerns about human rights violations. Yet, when the US takes similar measures to safeguard its interests, it is portrayed as a victory of good over evil. This inconsistency undermines the enforcement of international law and the principles guiding it.
India should stand firm and not capitulate to US demands. New Delhi must assert that the US should not shield individuals who openly harm Indian interests. Indiashould demand reciprocal and visible actions against Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, his SFJ associates, and address the broader Khalistani threat present in the US. It is crucial for India to uphold its interests and ensure that justice is served in these matters.
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