Foiled RAW plot in US

Another attempt by India to assassinate an overseas dissident is making headlines mere weeks after Canada accused New Delhi of murdering a Sikh separatist. But while Canadian Hardeep Singh Nijjar did not survive his alleged encounter with Indian spies, this time it was a failed plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a lawyer and spokesman for the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Pannun lives and works in the New York area, and recently also told US media that SFJ would continue holding referendums in countries with large Indian diasporas, such as the US, Canada, the UK and Australia. However, it is not these non-binding referendums that got New Delhi all riled up. Rather, Pannun has long used strong rhetoric, including warning Sikhs to avoid flying Air India and “warning” Hindus to leave Canada in the wake of Nijjar’s murder. But while threatening in tone, Pannun did not make an actual threat of harm, meaning that his rhetoric was not actionable under hate speech laws in Canada or the US.

Even Interpol recently refused to issue a Red Warrant for Pannun, citing insufficient evidence, among other problems. But in India, where even mild criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his fascist regime is often treated as sedition, Pannun’s harsh rhetoric has made him — like many others — a wanted terrorist. In fact, recent news reports suggest the US and Canadian security agencies have informed at least nine residents of their countries — four in the US and five in Canada, including Nijjar — that their lives are at risk. However, while it seems India is getting away with the alleged assassination of Nijjar, since Canada has not yet begun legal proceedings, US authorities have already filed a case against one suspect in a New York district court. It is not clear who the suspect is or whether they are in custody because the indictment is under seal. But if it does turn out to be someone with direct links to the Indian government, we can expect much harsher consequences for India, since the US is the stronger player in all aspects of the bilateral relationship.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2023.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.