Khalistani Terrorist Who Tried To Kill Punjab Minister In 1986 Invited To Trudeau’s Event

Jaspal Atwal, a former member of the now-banned International Sikh Youth Federation, convicted for the attempted murder of Punjab cabinet minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu in 1986, was invited to a dinner event with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Canadian High Commission in Delhi, CBC News has reported.

According to the channel’s report, Atwal was invited by Canada's High Commissioner to India. The invitation is now being rescinded, Trudeau’s office has said.

In what could prove highly embarrassing for Trudeau, photos of an event organised by the Canadian High Commission in Mumbai, released by CBC, show Atwal posing with Trudeau's wife, Sophie, and Liberal cabinet minister Amarjeet Sohi.

This development comes just a day after Prime Minister Trudeau met Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and assured him that Canada does not support any separatist movement in India or elsewhere.

"The categorical assurance from Trudeau came when Captain Amarinder sought the Canadian Prime Minister's cooperation in cracking down on separatism and hate crime by a fringe element, constituting a miniscule percentage of Canada's population," said the Chief Minister's office.

This invitation, however, has raised serious questions about Trudeau’s intent.

According to some reports, New Delhi did not accord Trudeau a grand welcome because he has been supporting pro-Khalistan elements in Canada.

Support for Khalistan has been on the rise in Canada with extremists organising multiple events across the country to rally support for the movement in the past few years. Numerous pro-Khalistan groups in Canada are planning to hold what they call the ‘Punjab Independence Referendum' in the year 2020.

This issue has always figured prominently in Indo-Canada talks. In July 2016, India had raised the issue with Canada after Trudeau appeared in a Nagar Kirtan event in Toronto that featured Khalistani flags and posters of extremist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. On 30 April 2016, he had addressed a parade on ‘Khalsa Day’ which included events glorifying Sikh militant leaders.

Liberal Party government headed by Trudeau is considered as one that has often pandered to separatist elements in Canada. At least three members of his cabinet - Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi - have links with the separatist movement.