Washington: Putting the onus on the Joe Biden administration for his protection, Sikhs for Justice chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a designated terrorist in India, alleged the Indian government wanted to kill him for running the global Khalistan referendum voting campaign.
“It is a challenge to American sovereignty. It is a threat to freedom of speech and democracy in America itself. But I will let US authorities speak more on this,” Pannun said in an interview.
Last week, India said the US shared inputs on a nexus between organised criminals, gun runners and terrorists during the course of recent discussions, and relevant departments were examining them, after reports said that American authorities thwarted a plot to kill Pannun on US soil. The Biden administration, too, confirmed that the US, at the senior most levels, raised the concern with India and expected those deemed responsible to be held accountable. India, according to the US, was surprised and concerned when the issue was raised, and said that this was not government policy and will investigate the matter.
The remarks by the ministry of external affairs (MEA) came in response to the report in the London-based newspaper which also suggested that the US warned India against any involvement in a plot to kill Pannun, a Sikh extremist the government of India officially designated as a terrorist but who also happens to be a dual American and Canadian citizen.
During the interview, when Pannun was asked that he had reportedly angered Indian officials after issuing a video where he warned Sikhs not to fly on Air India because it would be “life-threatening,” the Khalistani separatist replied, "I was saying ‘boycott’ Air India, but the whole Indian narrative shifted to ‘bomb’ Air India. Somebody has to be a zombie to not differentiate between boycotting and bombing.