New Delhi:
The issue of Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Panun will not affect India-US relations, US Special Envoy to India Eric Garcetti told NDTV today. He called the bond “the most important relationship” through “historic times” and likened it to a marriage, with its inevitable quarrels and disagreements.
“How you manage those moments determines the strength of your relationship,” he says. And to naysayers who expect obstacles to arise, he said: “I can tell you that our work at the embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indian embassy in Washington every day, has not slowed down in the slightest.” he said. Exclusive interview with NDTV.
“We want this relationship, we need this relationship, and we have this relationship, so it continues to accelerate,” he said.
Last November, the US Department of Justice claimed that a plot to kill US-based Sikh separatist Panun had failed. The State Department had insisted that India was involved in the conspiracy and accused Indian government officials of taking part in it.
Asked what the United States was doing to address concerns about anti-India activities by foreign Khalistani groups, Garcetti cited “religious, cultural, and linguistic” diversity, and cited “religious, cultural, and linguistic” diversity. asserted the right to free speech.
“We also know that the focus should be on what people do when they cross the line of legal action. There needs to be accountability, no matter the source. What people say is disturbing. But it is the actions of people that break the law,” he added.
Asked about the recent controversy surrounding the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s report, Garcetti said that while democracy and a diverse population are “difficult things to manage,” living without them is not an option. .
New Delhi had criticized the report as coming from a “biased organization with political objectives”. Russia also issued a warning over the report, calling it an example of US interference in Indian affairs.
In its annual report, the commission criticized India for alleged violations of religious freedom and asked the U.S. State Department to designate the country as a “country of special concern.”
“The United States and India must take care of our countries’ religious, cultural, and linguistic diversity, and that we live in a democracy, not a dictatorship, and that we can speak freely, not just in the good moments. I know you’re committed to demonstrating,’ but also criticizing when necessary,” Garcetti said.
He suggested the U.S. remains on the side of caution, suggesting that its stance “comes from a humble position of criticizing ourselves and saying, ‘How can we do better?'”
“So this independent commission is investigating cases around the world that may or may not have been caused by governments. They may just occur between communities, and sometimes between humans. In some cases, we know that biases exist and we highlight where they exist,” he added.
