Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is on a week-long visit to India, said that the issue of dinner invitation to Jaspal Atwal, a convicted Khalistani terrorist, is extremely serious. He informed that a Member of Parliament had included him and that the invitation has now been revoked.
“We take this extremely seriously. He should never have received an invitation. As soon as we received the info we rescinded it, a member of Parliament had included this individual,” he said.
Meanwhile, Canadian MP Randeep S Sarai took the complete responsibility for inviting Atwal to PM Trudeau’s reception dinner in New Delhi, which is scheduled to take place later on Thursday.
“I alone facilitated his request to attend this important event. I should have exercised better judgment, and I take full responsibility for my actions,” Sarai said in a statement which was shared on Twitter by Canadian journalist Abigail Bimman.
Earlier in the day, Canadian High Commissioner Nadir Patel cancelled the dinner invitation to Jaspal.
“The High Commission has rescinded Mr. Atwal’s invitation. We do not comment of matters relating to the PM’s security,” the Canadian High Commission said in New Delhi.
Jaspal Atwal, a member of banned outfit International Sikh Youth Federation was convicted of attempted murder in 1986. He along with four men ambushed and shot at Cabinet Minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu while he was visiting Vancouver Island in 1986.