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Drawing a distinction between the allegations levelled by the US and Canada — of assassination plots against Khalistan separatists in their countries — External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Rajya Sabha on Thursday that there was no question of “equitable treatment” as the US had provided “inputs” to India, while Canada had not.
Jaishankar was replying to a supplementary question asked by CPI(M) MP John Brittas during Question Hour. Referring to news reports about the two cases, Brittas asked: “Is it a fact that we are not having equitable treatment?”
“Insofar as the US is concerned, certain inputs were given to us as part of our security cooperation with the United States. Those inputs were of concern to us because they related to the nexus of organised crime, trafficking and other matters. 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. 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 who has provided inputs and one of whom has not, does not arise,” Jaishankar said.
In an indictment filed by the US Department of Justice last month, an Indian citizen and an unnamed Indian official have been accused of being involved in a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.
Jaishankar said an inquiry committee had been set up to probe the US case.
This Delhi response is very different from the manner in which it responded to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “credible allegations” about a potential link of Indian government agents to the killing of Canada-based Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. India had called the allegations “absurd and motivated”.
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