India included in US lawmakers’ hearing on targeting of dissenters abroad
- Washington’s ally, seen as bulwark against Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, is singled out after accusations of involvement in a killing and murder plot
- Senator says he will introduce International Freedom Protection Act to address the ‘growing use of transnational oppression by autocratic and illiberal states’
In a first, an influential US congressional panel on Wednesday included India, Washington’s key partner in the strategic Indo-Pacific region, in its discussion of “transnational repression and authoritarians targeting dissenters abroad”, as its chairman pledged to introduce legislation to address the issue.
“We’ve seen disturbing allegations against an Indian government official for involvement in planning to assassinate a US citizen in New York who was critical of the Indian government,” said Senator Ben Cardin, a Democrat from Maryland and chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee.
Acknowledging the need to do more, Cardin said he would soon introduce the International Freedom Protection Act to address the “growing use of transnational oppression by autocratic and illiberal states”.
“This is a deadly serious threat to the safety of diaspora and exile communities,” he noted.
Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, described the accusations that New Delhi has targeted Sikh separatists as “highly disturbing”.
