Plot To Kill Khalistani Pannu: PM Modi Assures Probe In US's Allegations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his silence on the United States' allegations against India of planning the assassination of Khailstani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. In an interview with the Financial Times, PM Modi said India will look into the matter if any information will be provided to us, such incidents can not affect the relations between both democracies. "There is strong bipartisan support for strengthening relationship, which is a clear indicator of a mature and stable partnership," the PM said.

Pannun, a designated terrorist in India, advocates for a religion-based separate state, Khalistan, to be split out from India's Punjab.

Reiterating India's stand to rule by the laws, the Prime Minister said, "If someone gives us any information, we will look into it," Modi said. "If a citizen of ours has done anything good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to the rule of law."

Sharing his concerns on the unlawful activities by the extremist group Sikhs for Justice, PM Modi said, "These elements, under the guise of freedom of expression, have engaged in intimidation and incited violence."

"Security and counter-terrorism cooperation has been a key component of our partnership," he added. "I don't think it is appropriate to link a few incidents with diplomatic relations between the two countries," said the Prime Minister.

"We need to accept the fact that we are living in the era of multilateralism," Modi said.

"The world is interconnected as well as interdependent. This reality compels us to recognize that absolute agreement on all matters cannot be a prerequisite for collaboration," the Prime Minister told the interviewing news agency.

Last month, the US Department of Justice had unsealed an indictment that implicated a serving Indian government official for orchestrating the plot and seeking to assassinate Pannun in June this year through Gupta. They claimed Gupta hired a hitman who turned out to be an undercover agent for US law enforcement. As a response, India acknowledged that it had received inputs from the US and announced the constitution of a high-level investigation committee to examine the issue.