India on Wednesday made it clear that it had nothing to do in extending dinner reception invitation to convicted Khalistani separatist Jaspal Atwal during Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent visit here.
“Let me categorically state that the Government of India, including the security agencies, had nothing to do with the presence of Jaspal Atwal at the event hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai or the invitation issued to him for the Canadian High Commissioner’s reception in New Delhi. Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless and unacceptable,” said Raveesh Kumar, Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs.
‘Rogue elements’
The MEA also said it has noted the parliamentary exchange over the issue in Canada in which Trudeau faced tough questions from the Opposition parties even as one of the senior officials of his administration stated (which was also reportedly supported by the Canadian PM) that “rogue political elements in India may have orchestrated the embarrassing invitation.”
“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,” Trudeau said in his reply about the comment to Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer.
The event came to light during Trudeau’s week-long visit to India from February 17 to 24 where Atwal was seen hobnobbing with Canadian Cabinet ministers as well as with Trudeau’s wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau during a dinner reception in Mumbai that was organised by the Canadian High Commission.
Atwal was also invited for another dinner reception, again organised by High Commissioner Nadir Patel, which was held in New Delhi.
However, following the outrage, the invitation was rescinded even as Trudeau vowed to take action and investigate the matter thoroughly.
Atwal has even said in an interview to Canadian media that he had travelled to India before, but he withdrew himself from the event as he did not want to embarrass Trudeau, who he considers to be his friend.
Atwal was part of a Sikh militia group that is now banned — Sikh Youth Federation — when he was convicted in 1986 for a murder attempt on Punjab’s minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu in Vancouver.
Canadian authorities have even questioned why the Ministry of Home Affairs removed Atwal from the ‘blacklist’ that would have prevented his visit to India. Atwal has visited India as many as four times before this.