Democrats say State Department should pressure India over plot to assassinate Sikh activist

A group of Democratic senators is urging the State Department to increase pressure on the Indian government following “credible allegations” that it was involved in a failed plot to assassinate a Sikh activist, who was also an American citizen, on the ground. American.

On a letter sent Monday From Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the senators asked for a “strong diplomatic response to ensure that everyone involved is held accountable.”

The group, led by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), also requested a briefing to understand the extent of the “U.S. government’s engagement with the Indian government on this matter.”

“While we fully support the DOJ’s efforts to bring Gupta to justice and the State Department’s previous statements, the Administration must match words with actions to hold Indian officials involved in the plot accountable and send a clear message that there will be consequences for such behavior.” , Merkley wrote in the letter, which was signed by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

“It is imperative that we take an unequivocal stand against such a threat to the rights of a US citizen and violation of US sovereignty, which are examples of India’s increasingly irresponsible efforts to silence critics of its government among its diaspora around the world,” the letter continued.

The Justice Department in November accused Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta, in an unsealed indictment, of participating in a failed plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who lives in New York and is an American citizen.

The indictment states that Pannun was recruited by an unidentified Indian government official. Pannun, who supports the secession of Punjab from India and the creation of a sovereign Sikh state, is considered a terrorist by the Indian government.

Gupta was arrested in Prague last June after the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) foiled an assassination plot against Pannun. Gupta denies involvement in the plot.

On Friday, Gupta was extradited from the Czech Republic to the United States to face charges of contract murder and conspiracy to commit contract murder, Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blažek said on Monday.

The Associated Press reported that Gupta’s Czech lawyer, Petr Slepička, previously said he planned to file a constitutional complaint with the country’s highest legal authority and asked the minister not to allow the extradition, calling it a “political case.”

As the United States continues to seek deeper ties with India, the senators urged the administration to “be firm and resolute in opposing transnational repression, regardless of the perpetrator.”

“The United States and India have a crucial relationship across multiple domains – from security cooperation, to trade and investment, to strong cultural and people-to-people ties. As the world’s two largest democracies, this partnership must not only be based on mutual strategic interests, but also on a shared commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law, including respect for sovereignty and individual rights and freedoms that are fundamental for any democracy,” they wrote in the letter.

They later added: “India must maintain its commitment to respect human rights at home and abroad as it aspires to global leadership. Now that India’s 2024 general elections have concluded, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Modi returning to power, the United States has the opportunity to include this issue as a central item on the Indian government’s agenda.”

The Hill reached out to the State Department for a response.

The Associated Press contributed.

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