Modi Regime Accused Again of Attempt to Kill Sikh Activist on Foreign Soil

Modi Regime Accused Again of Attempt to Kill Sikh Activist on Foreign Soil

The Biden administration issued a strong warning to India over concerns of clandestinely planning criminal activities on American soil. 

By Rakesh Raman

The U.S. administration has accused the Indian government of prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi of an attempt to assassinate a Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement issued on November 29 that an Indian Government employee directed a plot from India to murder U.S.-based leader of Sikh separatist movement. 

The statement adds that in the Southern District of New York, a superseding indictment was unsealed alleging murder-for-hire charges against Indian national Nikhil Gupta, aka Nick, 52, in connection with his participation in a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. 

Also, Czech authorities arrested and detained Gupta on June 30, 2023 pursuant to the bilateral extradition treaty between the United States and the Czech Republic.

Earlier, according to media reports, the White House said in a statement on November 22 that it had raised concerns with the top leadership in the Indian government about its alleged involvement in a failed plot to assassinate Pannun who campaigns for a separate Sikh state Khalistan in India.

The White House statement – which expected the Modi government to fix accountability for this heinous act – came after the Financial Times reported about the incident.

While the U.S. agencies foiled the conspiracy to assassinate Pannun, the Biden administration issued a strong warning to India over concerns of clandestinely planning criminal activities on American soil. As usual, in a vague statement, the Indian officials said the government is examining the veracity of allegations. 

The Financial Times article claims that the U.S. warning was issued after PM Modi’s visit to Washington in June, adding that the U.S. federal prosecutors have filed a sealed indictment against at least one alleged perpetrator of the plot in a New York district court. Pannun carries a dual citizenship of the United States and Canada.

The U.S. action against India has been initiated after Canada also accused the Modi regime of committing criminal activities in Canada recently. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has been mobilizing support of world leaders to punish India for the alleged assasination of a Sikh leader in Canada.

In September, Trudeau had alleged about the involvement of the Indian government agents in the killing of pro-Khalistan Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. After the probe by the Canadian intelligence agencies, Trudeau said that his government has credible evidence of Indian government’s collusion in the murder of Nijjar. 

While the Indian government has dismissed the allegations, Trudeau has been asking world leaders to condemn India and he is demanding a thorough investigation of the Nijjar case so that the perpetrators of crime could be punished.

POLITICIZATION OF TERRORISM

Although there is no terrorism in India, the Modi government politicizes the terrorism issue to gain electoral advantages. Many Sikhs and Muslims are being arbitrarily labeled as terrorists by the Modi regime in order to seek Hindu votes.

And the anti-terrorism laws are being used criminally by the government to target Modi critics including journalists, activists, and members of the civil society. In fact, Modi has kept an incompetent external affairs minister S. Jaishankar who keeps spreading lies that India is a victim of terrorism.

Since the Indian judiciary is mostly complicit in state crimes, the judges of the Supreme Court and other courts do not take any decision that may displease their boss Modi. So, the judges do not protect the victims of the Modi regime’s oppression.

It is falsely projected by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that Modi is protecting 80% Hindus in India from Sikh and Muslim terrorists so Hindus should vote for Modi and BJP.

It is also alleged that Modi and his party are behind terror activities such as Pulwama attack which was falsely blamed on Muslim country Pakistan to woo Hindu voters before the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

In fact, Sikhs are being targeted because they demand a separate Khalistan land or the land of purity where there is peace and prosperity. Thousands of Sikhs were murdered in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots after the assassination of Indian PM Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. 

In revenge, hooligans killed Sikhs mercilessly, raped Sikh women, and looted the Sikh properties during the massacre particularly in India’s capital New Delhi. After the 1984 pogrom, Sikhs have been demanding a fully autonomous state called Khalistan in Punjab. 

The demand for Khalistan has gained intensity under the current government of chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann who is an illiterate and incapable politician. 

As Bhagwant Mann is not able to control the civil unrest in Punjab, the demand for Khalistan has gained momentum in Punjab as well as other countries such as Canada, U.S., and the UK where Sikh population is big. 

The Khalistan movement is a Sikh separatist campaign that seeks to create a homeland for Sikhs by establishing a sovereign state, called Khālistān (‘Land of the Khalsa’ or the Land of Purity), in the Punjab region.

Since the Indian government wants to crush the Khalistan movement, it has allegedly got Khalistan leader Nijjar killed in Canada. The murder of Nijjar is being compared to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia.

In 2021, the United States had publicly accused Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of approving the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was a U.S. resident.

But no action was taken against Mohammed bin Salman because the U.S. has commercial interests in Saudi Arabia. Similarly, there will be no repercussions for the Modi regime which is virtually bribing the Biden administration by buying American products which are not required in India.

The U.S. allegation of the attempt to assassinate Pannun will also not have any impact on the Modi regime, which will continue its repressive transnational activities to silence critics.

Today, nearly 1.4 billion Indians are suffering under the Modi regime with unprecedented poverty, corruption, inflation, unemployment, lawlessness, and religious animosity. But there is no competent opposition political leader who can defeat Modi and his party BJP. Therefore, in all probability, Modi and BJP will win the Lok Sabha election in 2024 and form the government again.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society. He has also been publishing The Unrest news magazine that covers economic and political upheavals in the world.