The White House has said that it wants India to fully investigate the alleged plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader in the United States, adding that it was glad New Delhi is dealing with the issue seriously. National Security spokesperson John Kirby said India is a strategic partner for the US and urged it to hold accountable those responsible for the plot to allegedly kill Khalistai separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is an American citizen, reported PTI.
“India is a strategic partner. We’re deepening that strategic partnership. They’re a member of the Quad in the Pacific. We participate with them on a range of issues and we want to see that continue unabated. That said, at the same time, we certainly recognise the seriousness of these allegations,” Kirby told reporters at a White House news conference.
He was responding to a question on the impact that the alleged plot would have on the bilateral relationship of the two countries. “We want it fully investigated and those responsible to be held properly accountable,” he said, as quoted by PTI.
“It’s under active investigation. We’ve said that we’re glad that our Indian counterparts are taking it seriously and doing that. We want those responsible for these attacks to be held fully accountable, but I won’t get ahead of an investigation that isn’t complete,” Kirby added.
This comes two days after US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that they would wait for the results of India’s investigation into an Indian national’s ‘attempt to kill’ Pannun.
“…I said I wouldn’t comment on the underlying substance because it is an ongoing law enforcement matter and it would be inappropriate for me to do so when DOJ (US Department of Justice) is presenting a case in court. I also made clear that we have noted at the most senior levels of this government, the Secretary of State has raised this directly with his foreign counterpart that we take this issue very seriously. They told us they would conduct an investigation. They have publicly announced an investigation and now we’ll wait to see the results of the investigation. It’s something we take very seriously,” Miller said.
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