"They Can Speak For": US On India's Response On Canada's Allegations

US State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller said that India can speak for itself regarding the Canadian allegations related to Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing and the ongoing investigations.He mentioned that Washington has urged New Delhi to collaborate with the Canadian investigation.

One of the practices I'm going to continue to try to adhere to, is to not speak publicly about what, Secretary Blinken or other representatives of this department will say in their meetings before the Secretary has a chance to say it directly to those counterparts," Miller said.However, India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling it 'absurd' and 'motivated'.

He added, "We have consistently engaged with the Indian Government on this question and have urged them to cooperate. And that engagement and the urge for them to cooperate will continue".During the press briefing, State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller was asked whether the issue of Canadian allegations will be raised during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's meeting with his US counterpart Antony Blinken.

On being further asked about India's response to the US' call for cooperation in the investigation, Miller refused to comment on what is said in private diplomatic conversations.They can speak for themselves. I'm not going to speak to what they say in private diplomatic conversations. I will speak to what I say or what we say and that is we urge them to cooperate with the Canadian investigation," he added.

Earlier, Antony Blinken had said that Washington is "deeply concerned" about the allegations made by the Canadian PM about the Indian government's involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, adding that the US wants to see accountability and called it "important" that the investigation runs its course and leads to the result.