No ‘equitable treatment’ for US, Canadian allegations on assassination bids: S Jaishankar in Rajya Sabha

Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar on Thursday spoke in Parliament on the inputs provided by the United States in the alleged plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil. India has decided to institute an inquiry into the matter as it relates to national security, he said. The minister, however, ruled out the possibility of any "equitable treatment” to the allegations raised by Canada in the murder case of another Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Ottawa.

Also Read: Gurpatwant Singh Pannun murder ‘Will wait for results of India's probe,’ says US

Jaishankar also explained why the government is not treating the two cases alike and said the Canadian authorities failed to provide any specific evidence or inputs to the Indian authorities. 

While addressing the Upper House of Parliament on Thursday, Jaishankar said that the US shared certain inputs with India as part of bilateral security cooperation. “So, because it has a bearing on our own national security, it was decided to institute an inquiry into the matter and an inquiry committee has been constituted,” the minister said while speaking in Rajya Sabha.

“Insofar as Canada is concerned, no specific evidence or inputs were provided to us. So, the question of equitable treatment to two countries, one of whom has provided inputs and one of whom has not, does not arise,” the minister added.

The remarks by India's foreign minister come as prosecutors in Manhattan filed an indictment against an Indian national Nikhil Gupta and an unidentified Indian official in the alleged plot to murder Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun around his residence in the US.

FBI chief Christopher Wray to visit India

Amid a sensitive phase in India-US relations on the alleged assassination plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Christopher Wray is scheduled to visit India next week.

“As you’re aware, we have robust security, cyber-security, counter-terrorism, and counter-narcotics cooperation with US agencies. We are also engaged in capacity-building programmes. So, as part of this ongoing bilateral cooperation, a visit by the FBI director is in the works,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

Also Read: FBI chief to visit India amid US allegations of foiled plot to kill Pannun

“This is part of our ongoing dialogue process. I don’t have a crystal ball, I’m not going to get into what may or may not be discussed. At this moment, I have nothing further,” the spokesperson added when asked if Gupatwant Singh Pannun would come up during the FBI director’s interactions in India.