After his week-long India visit, which was full of controversy, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come out in support of a theory floated by an official of his government that Indian ‘agencies’ deliberately sabotaged the trip by granting visa to the pro-Khalistan terrorist Jaspal Atwal.

As per CBC news reports, when questioned by Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer about the ‘theory’, Trudeau responded by saying, “Our professional, non-partisan public service does high quality work and when one of our top diplomats and security officials says something to Canadians, it’s because they know it to be true”.

Advertisement

Atwal was a Sikh separatist active in the banned International Sikh Youth Federation when he was convicted of attempt to murder of Punjab minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu in Vancouver in 1986.

Sidhu was shot at twice on a road and survived, but was later assassinated in India. A judge called it “an act of terrorism” and sentenced Atwal and three others to 20 years in prison. . Atwal is said to have been active in Canadian politics in recent years.

Atwal controversy

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had courted controversy during his visit to India this month after the Canadian High Commission had sent an invitation for dinner with him to Atwal. The invitation was later rescinded following the controversy.

The invite sent to Atwal read: “His Excellency Nadir Patel, High Commissioner for Canada to India is pleased to invite Jaspal Atwal to a dinner reception celebrating Canada-India ties on the occasion of the visit of The Right Hounourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada.”

On the issue of Atwal’s invitation, Canadian PM Trudeau had said that the matter was extremely serious. He had informed that a Member of Parliament Randeep S Sarai had included him and that the invitation has now been revoked.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 As soon as we received the info we rescinded it, a member of Parliament had included this individual,” he said earlier.

Shockingly, pictures of Atwal along with the Canadian PM’s wife, Sophie Trudeau as well as Canadian Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi at a function in Mumbai on 20 February have also gone viral on social media.

Atwal, who lives in Canada came to India on 11 February in his personal capacity and not along with Trudeau’s official entourage, reports said.

Following massive outrage after the news leaked in the media, his invite was revoked.

Also read | Convicted Khalistani activist Jaspal Atwal no longer in MHA blacklist