India slams China for remarks on Pannun murder ‘assassination plot’

New Delhi: India has delivered a sharp criticism of China for its remarks about the alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurwatpant Singh Pannun and reiteration of its claim over Arunachal Pradesh.

In a weekly press briefing Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to the Chinese foreign ministry’s call for observance of “international law” in the Pannun case.

“India and the US, as two countries adhering to the rule of law, are capable of dealing with any issues that we have between ourselves. There is no role for any speculative comments and gratuitous advice from unrelated third parties,” said the MEA spokesperson.

Last year, India constituted a high-level inquiry committee in connection with the alleged assassination attempt on Pannun, who holds both American and Canadian citizenship and is designated a terrorist by India.

This was after US federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment against an Indian national who was believed to have carried out the alleged assassination attempt at the behest of an Indian government employee.

Simultaneously, Canada has accused India of playing a role in the assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia last June. The Canadian investigation into this case is ongoing, and according to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s latest remarks, Ottawa is looking to work “constructively” with New Delhi on the matter.

‘China may repeat baseless claims’ on Arunachal: MEA

During the briefing, the MEA spokesperson also refuted Chinese claims on the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, adding that it will remain an integral and inalienable part of the country.

“Our position on the matter has been made very clear on Arunachal Pradesh time and again. We have recently also issued statements in this regard. I think a couple of statements,” said Jaiswal.

“China may repeat its baseless claims as many times as they want. That is not going to change our position. Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” he added.

While delivering a lecture at NUS Institute of South Asian Studies in Singapore on 23 March, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had dismissed China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh as “ludicrous”.

Two days later, while responding to Jaishankar’s comment, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry accused India of illegally occupying Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing refers to as “Zangnan”.

“China had all along exercised effective administrative jurisdiction over Zangnan until India’s illegal occupation. This is a basic fact that cannot be denied,” the spokesperson told reporters.

Last year, India took strong objection to the 2023 edition of China’s “standard map” which lays claim to Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing considers part of “South Tibet”.

Bilateral relations between India and China remain tense as the two countries have been engaged in a border standoff since 2020.

(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)