WASHINGTON: A group of US senators has called on the Biden administration to deliver a strong diplomatic response to the Indian government’s involvement in a foiled assassination plot targeting an American citizen. Expressing serious concerns, the senators demanded accountability for all individuals involved in the harassment and threats against Sikh Americans.
In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Senators Jeffrey A. Merkley, Chris Van Hollen, Tim Kaine, Bernard Sanders, and Ron Wyden urged the administration to provide a briefing on its engagement with the Indian government regarding this matter. The senators emphasized that the US-India relationship should be grounded not only in mutual strategic interests but also in a shared commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law, including respect for sovereignty and individual rights.
The letter follows the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) announcement on November 29, 2023, of an unsealed indictment against Indian national Nikhil Gupta for his involvement in a plot to assassinate a US citizen in New York. The target of the plot, reportedly Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, is a prominent critic of the Indian government and an advocate for the separation of Punjab, a state in India with a significant Sikh population.
The senators revealed that an unidentified Indian government official, collaborating with Gupta, had orchestrated the assassination plot, which was thwarted by the US Drug Enforcement Administration. According to the DOJ, Gupta disclosed that there were four intended targets, including Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and Sikh separatist leader who was murdered in Canada in June 2023.
While the senators expressed full support for the DOJ’s efforts to prosecute Gupta, they urged the US administration to take concrete actions against Indian officials implicated in the plot. They stressed the need for the US to convey a strong message that such behavior will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.
“It is imperative that the US takes an unequivocal stand against such a threat to the rights of a US citizen and the violation of our country’s sovereignty,” the senators wrote. They also pressed the Department of State for a detailed briefing on how it plans to press the Indian government to hold those responsible accountable and to prevent any recurrence of such acts of transnational repression.
The senators pointed out that with the conclusion of India’s 2024 general election, which saw the re-election of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the US has an opportunity to address this issue as a key agenda item in its dealings with the Indian government.
The lawmakers underscored the necessity for the US to remain firm and resolute in its opposition to transnational repression, irrespective of the perpetrator. They concluded by reiterating the need for strong and decisive action to safeguard the rights and freedoms of all US citizens.
