An old debate.

"In an interview with The Financial Times, PM Modi responded to allegations of India's plot to assassinate Khalistani extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States, saying that he will 'look into any evidence' pertaining to the incident," while raising "concerns of extremists engaging in violence and intimidation overseas under the guise of freedom of expression while saying that the country is committed to the rule of law." ET. If he had given the same bland assurance to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instead of his government responding with extreme force (BBC), perhaps the US would not have filed charges of a conspiracy to kill Pannun, involving a government employee in Delhi and thus directly linking the Indian government to the case (NBC). "US President Joe Biden will not be attending the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on January 26 next year." However, "The aborted assassination of Khalistani terrorist Pannun is just a minor crinkle in the vast Indo-US bilateral canvas." HT. "The Pannun issue is doubtless serious" but it is just a "niggling political and diplomatic irritant between India and the US," and "Both countries wish the Pannun issue would just vaporise." Therefore, Biden's no-show is "No big deal," wrote Indrani Bagchi. May not be so simple. "In a joint statement, all five Indian-American legislators in the US Congress - Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishanmoorthy and Shri Thanedar - said that relations between India and the United States could face 'significant damage' if India did not fully investigate and hold people, including officials of the government of India, responsible." News18. Could "officials" include ministers? All 5 are Democrats, Biden's party. "New Delhi should take note." "In the past when the White House has been standoff-ish, the state department hostile and the defence department tired of trying, the Congress has come to the rescue to keep India on the radar," wrote Seema Sirohi. If the Congress can help, it can also hinder. "Union home minister Amit Shah asked what terrorists wanted by India were doing on Canadian land." TOI. Why can't they understand that asking for independence is not a crime in Canada or in the US? The Canadian province of Quebec has held two referendums on independence. "Quebec has twice voted against independence, but the question has never been settled or gone away." BBC. Canada has not killed anyone in Quebec nor has it labeled them as "terrorists". Canada may have only 39 million people (worldometer), compared to India's 1,400 million, but it is a member of NATO (nato.int), and cannot be attacked without retaliation from all NATO countries (nato.int), and is also a member of the G7 group of nations  (Government of Canada) because it has a GDP per capita of $54,917 (World Bank), compared to a meager $2,410 for India. Hence, Canada is not insignificant, as they seem to think. Trudeau mocked India by saying that India's ties with Canada may have undergone a "tonal shift" following the indictment in the US. The Telegraph. It's the old debate between terrorists and freedom fighters. Ask Benoy Badal Dinesh. amritmahotsav.nic.in.