In September, it was Canada. And now it is the United States alleging the involvement of an Indian government official in the killing and attempted plot to murder two Sikh separatist leaders.

On November 29, the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) charged an Indian national for his involvement in a plot to murder a US-based Sikh separatist leader. “Today in the Southern District of New York, a superseding indictment was unsealed alleging murder-for-hire charges against Indian national Nikhil Gupta, aka Nick, 52, in connection with his participation in a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen in New York City,” a Department statement said. What is more serious is that the statement said that “earlier this year, an Indian government employee, working together with others, including Gupta, in India and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on US soil an attorney and political activist who is a US citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City.” The name of the Indian government employee has thus far not been revealed. What is equally significant is that the US Justice Department also referred to the assassination on June 18, 2023 of another Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada whose Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed “credible allegation” of Indian government in Nijjar’s murder. Clearly, security issues have created the rough edges on India’s ties with the US and Canada.

The developments are a clear pointer to a well-synchronized attempt to pressure India as evidenced by the US Department of Justice's reference to Nijjar killing. Both Nijjar and Pannun were wanted in India under tough anti-terror laws. What is common between the US and Canadian strategies, as also those of three other English-speaking countries the UK, Australia and New Zealand, with regard to Pannun and Nijjar is asking India to cooperate in the probe.

India’s stand on Nijjar and Pannun are markedly different qualitatively. In the case of Canada, India dismissed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation made in parliament as “absurd and politically motivated.” India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Arindam Bagchi told the media in response to questions that “so far as Canada is concerned, they (Canadian authorities) have consistently given space to anti-India extremists and violence. That is at the heart of the issue. Our diplomatic representatives have borne the brunt of this. So, we expect the government of Canada to live up to their obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. We have also seen interference in our internal affairs. This is obviously unacceptable.” Secondly, the Ministry said “we have nothing to move forward to” (to investigate).

In the case of the US, Bagchi had on November 22 said that “during the course of recent discussions on India-US security cooperation, the US side shared some inputs pertaining to nexus between organised criminals, gun runners, terrorists and others. The inputs are a cause for concern for both countries and they decided to take necessary follow up action. On its part, India takes such inputs seriously since it impinges on our own national security interests as well.” The Ministry also termed the US as “actionable” and that is why we ordered” a probe. On November 30, he said that “as regards the case against an individual that has been filed in a US court, allegedly linking him to an Indian official, this is a matter of concern. We have said, and let me reiterate, that this is also contrary to government policy.” The nexus between organised crime, trafficking, gun running and extremists at an international level is also a serious issue for law enforcement agencies to consider, Bagchi said adding “it is precisely for this reason that a high level inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate allegations relating to the conspiracy to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the Sikh separatist and known to be an American and Canadian citizen.

The Washington Post on Wednesday reported that the Biden administration was so concerned after discovering the plot to assassinate Pannun that it sent CIA Director William J Burns and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to India in August and October respectively to demand investigation and hold to account those responsible.

Another noteworthy development is that on the day the US Department of Justice came out with its statement, Trudeau seized on it wanting to project it as a vindication of his charge made in September. “This is what Canada has been talking about from the beginning. India needs to take this seriously, he said. The news coming out of the United States further underscores what we've been talking about from the very beginning, which is that India needs to take this seriously." It is clear the US and Canada and with their allies  the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, which are Canada are part of the intelligence-sharing network called “Five Eyes” on  the Nijjar killing and the Pannun assassination plot and there is a possible pattern in this.

The Sikh and Kashmiri separatists believe in violent methods to achieve their objectives.  There are a few questions the US needs to introspect on: one, what was the American role in the secret extra-judicial killings carried out by its special forces and intelligence operatives in Latin America, central America and the Caribbean, particularly in countries which did not have governments friendly to the US, during the Cold War years. How many attempts were made on the life of Cuban leader Fidel Castro? and (2) the US and some of its Anglophone allies are not only hosting so many Sikh and Kashmiri separatists who are out to dismember India and what steps have been taken to stop their activities? (3) whose security interests the separatists serve?  (4) there is growing suspicion in India if the separatists in the US and Canada are being weaponized to needle India. The much larger picture of the ties between India and the US, Canada and the major powers is too important to be distracted by such issues.

_______________________________________

The writer is a senior Indian journalist