Justin Trudeau Backs Official Who Accused India Of Using Sikh Extremist To Sabotage His Visit

The Canadian High Commission’s invitation to Jaspal Atwal - a Sikh extremist convicted of trying to assassinate an Indian minister in 1986 - to attend an official dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had sparked a major controversy while he was in India. As the development came while Trudeau was fending off criticism that his government is soft on Sikh extremists, it became a major point of friction ahead of his official engagement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Soon after Trudeau went back to Canada, a senior Canadian official reportedly accused ‘factions’ in the Indian government of trying to sabotage his visit by granting a visa to the Sikh extremist. According to some reports, the accusation was levelled by Canada’s National Security Advisor Daniel Jean.

Speaking in Canada’s House of Commons during his first Question Hour since returning from India, Trudeau appeared to support what many have dismissed as a ‘conspiracy theory’. When Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer asked the Canadian Prime Minister if he agreed to or disavowed the allegations made by a senior security official, Trudeau defended the bureaucrat.

“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,” the Canadian Prime Minister said.

However, Canadian Member of Parliament Randeep S Sarai has taken responsibility for inviting Atwal to Trudeau's reception dinner in New Delhi.