Jaspal Atwal's Invite Rescinded: Justin Trudeau Ensures 'Action', India to Probe How the Khalistani Terrorist Got Visa
"In due course, we will be able to come up with a reason that how he managed to come in India," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.
New Delhi, Feb 22: The Canadian embassy on Thursday rescinded the invitation issued to convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal for attending a dinner to be hosted by Toronto's High Commissioner to India Nadir Patel. Reacting to the controversy, visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said action would be taken against the erring officials.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has also assured a probe to conducted on how Atwal, a prime figure in the Punjab insurgency movement of the '80s, got a visa issued alongside the visiting Canadian dignitaries.
“Let us not presume things and decide how he managed to come. This is something which we are trying to find out. In due course, we will be able to come up with a reason that how he managed to come in India," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.
Trudeau, while interacting with reporters here, expressed disappointment over the fiasco committed by the Canadian side. "Obviously, we take this extremely seriously. He should never have received an invitation. As soon as we received the information we rescinded it," he said, further adding that a Canadian member of parliament, Randeep Sarai, included Atwal in the list of invitees.
Sarai, while speaking to the Canadian press, apologised for the blunder. "I alone facilitated his request to attend this important event. I should have exercised better judgment, and I take full responsibility for my actions," he was reported as saying by ANI.
Meanwhile, a senior Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official, while speaking to PTI, claimed Atwal's name is no longer in the MHA blacklist which resulted in the issuance of visa to him.
The controversy involving Atwal first propped after images on social media showed Trudeau's wife photographed with Atwal during an event in Mumbai on Tuesday.
BJP Subramanian Swamy said explanation is needed from both the Indian government and the Canadian counterparts. "It was foolish on our part to not do a background check. And how could Canadians, who claim that they do not support the Khalistani, allow the same,” he told ANI.
Atwal, an Indo-Canadian businessman who is now associated with a Surrey-based online radio station, was involved in the assassination attempt of former Punjab cabinet minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu in 1986. He was also associated with the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), which is charged with bombing the Montreal-Delhi Air India flight in 1985, which killed 329 people.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 22, 2018 06:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).