Justin Trudeau doesn't have right judgement in drawing distinction between Sikhs and Khalistanis: Canadian journalist

A convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal, who was active in the banned International Sikh Youth Federation, posed with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s wife Sophie Trudeau at an event in Mumbai on February 20, during the Canadian first family's visit to India.

Jaspal was also invited for a formal dinner with the Canadian Prime Minister, hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner on Thursday here.

However, the invite is being rescinded now, as per reports of Canada's CBC News.

"I can confirm that the High Commission is in the process of rescinding Mr. Atwal's invitation," PMO spokeswoman Eleanore Catenaro said, as per the report.

Canadian journalist Candice Malcolm told WION Thursday that "Canadians are surprised that Trudeau's reception (in India) hasn't been very welcoming." 

She added that "Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not meet Trudeau at the airport and that it looks

She told WION’s Ramesh Ramachandran: “This story that an extreme, radical and convicted criminal being invited as part of Trudeau's entourage is very disturbing, very upsetting for Canadians. The judgement of our PM is being called into question as to why he would invite such an individual.”

"I don't think it's necessarily expected," Malcom said when she was asked about the alleged "cold shoulder" given to Trudeau.

She went on to say that Trudeau exhibited ‘bad judgement’. She said: “Justin Trudeau has a large Sikh constituency in Canada. He relies on Sikh votes, especially in Toronto and Vancouver. Most Sikhs in Canada are not extremists, not terrorists. They don't believe in this idea of an independent Khalistan but some members do. And Trudeau doesn’t seem to have the right judgement in drawing that distinction. And it's not right for Canadians to get involved in other countries' internal politics. Canadians wouldn't like world leaders, say PM Modi, spending time and supporting Quebec separatists in our country. So, we should have that respect for India and Trudeau and the Liberal Party should stay away from extremists like the Khalistani groups.

Earlier, a statement from the Canadian’s PMO office said: “This individual should never have been invited to any event on the program, and his invitation has been rescinded. We are in the process of looking into how this occurred.” That said, it's important to be clear that this individual is not part of the official delegation to the PM's visit to India, nor was he invited by the Prime Minister's Office. As is the case with international trips, individuals sometimes travel on their own to the location of the visit."

Reacting to the furore, Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy said: “Humaari bewakoofi thi humne background check nahi kiya. Aur Canadians jo kehte hain ki hum Khalistaniyon ko support nahi karte, unhone unko kaise allow kiya?” (It’s our fault we didn’t check his background. And as for the Canadians that say they don’t support Khalistanis, how did they allow it?)

Former Liberal cabinet minister and British Columbia premier Ujjal Dosanjh said the government should have done its due diligence in looking into Atwal’s history, “especially when Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi had already spoken to Trudeau about his concerns over Canadian Khalistanis”.

Reacting to the controversy surrounding the invitation to Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's dinner reception, Canadian Minister for Science and Sports Kirsty Duncan on Thursday said that Atwal should have not been invited.Duncan, however, added that the invitation has now been rescinded and that they are now looking into the matter.

‘This person should of course never have been invited. The invitation has now been rescinded. We are looking into how this happened. We know when there is an international travel. Sometime people will come forward, whether they have been invited or not,’ Duncan told ANI

The incident

In 1986, Malkat Singh Sidhum a Minister of State of the Punjab government was in Canada to attend his neighbour’s wedding when four individuals smashed Sidhu’s car with hammers and fired five bullets into the car. Bullets struck Sidhu in the arm and chest and the assailants fled after they though Sidhu was dead. Jaspal Singh Atwal along with three others were convicted to 20 years’ imprisonment but their cases were overturned on a legal technicality.

It showed that the evidence against the four were obtained on a fraudulent warrant by Canadian intelligence, however their sentences were held up by another judge in 1990.

He was also convicted in an automobile fraud case and was charged but not convicted in a 1985 attack on Ujjal Dosanjh, a Khalistani opponent who became premier of British Colombia. Atwal’s presence certainly puts a strain on Indo-Canada relations, and the news that has emerged will put a shadow on the rest of Trudeau’s trip.

No Khalistani sympathy?

The revelation comes a day after Trudeau assured Punjab CM Amarinder Singh that Canada doesn’t support separatism.

As the 'Khalistan' issue featured prominently in the talks between the two leaders in Amritsar, an official said that Trudeau told Amarinder Singh he had dealt with threats of separatist movement all his life and was fully aware of the dangers of violence.

The two leaders held a 40-minute long meeting at a hotel after Trudeau paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and visited the Partition Museum. Trudeau is on the fourth day of his week-long visit to India during which he will hold talks on Friday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.

There was speculation on whether a meeting between Amarinder Singh and Trudeau would take place, but the chief minister cleared the air days before the Canadian premier's arrival here.

"Really happy to receive categorical assurance from Canadian PM @JustinTrudeau that his country does not support any separatist movement. His words are a big relief to all of us here in India and we look forward to his government's support in tackling fringe separatist elements," Singh tweeted after the meeting.

Trudeau and his family offered prayers at the Golden Temple with the premier describing the visit to the holiest of Sikh shrines as an "honour" and stressing that they were "filled with grace and humility".

Clad in an off-white 'kurta-pyjama' and with a saffron-coloured cloth covering his head, Trudeau along with his wife and two of his three children, bowed with folded hands before the holy book at the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine.

"What an honour to be so well received at such a beautiful, meaningful place. We are filled with grace and humility," he wrote in the visitors' book before leaving the shrine.

Chief Minister Singh submitted a list of nine Canada-based operatives alleged to be involved in target-killings and other hate crimes in Punjab, including financing and supplying of weapons for terrorist activities, an official said. Singh urged Trudeau to initiate stern action against such elements.

The Canadian premier assured Amarinder Singh that his country did not support "any separatist movement in India or elsewhere," said Raveen Thukral, the chief minister's media advisor.

The "categorical assurance" from Trudeau came after Amarinder Singh sought the Canadian premier's cooperation in cracking down on fringe elements, constituting a miniscule percentage of Canadian population, he added.

Citing the separatist movement in Quebec, Trudeau said he had dealt with such threats all his life and was fully aware of the dangers of violence, Thukral said.

The chief minister gave Trudeau a list of nine Category 'A' Canada-based operatives alleged to be involved in hate crimes, terrorist activities and trying to radicalize youth and children here, Thukral said.

Significantly, Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Punjab Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu were also present at the meeting.

Amarinder Singh shook hands with Sajjan during the talks.

Last year, Amarinder Singh had refused to meet Sajjan when he visited Punjab accusing him of being a "Khalistani sympathiser".

The Punjab police believes that the conspirators and financiers in the targeted killing cases in the state were operating from foreign soil including Canada, UK and Italy.

Freedom of speech was enshrined in the Indian Constitution but separatists and those propagating violence had lost any such right as they were rejected by the people of Punjab, Singh said at the meeting. He stressed that people contesting elections on the plank of a separate Sikh state ended up losing their security deposits, said Thukral.

Trudeau assured Amarinder Singh that his concerns would be addressed, saying he looked forward to closer ties with India, particularly Punjab, which he was happy to see progressing well.

Amarinder Singh called for cooperation between India and Canada on the issues of terrorism, crime and drugs. Responding to concerns raised in some quarters on reports of human rights violations, the chief minister said aberrations were always dealt with strictly.

With a large Punjabi diaspora settled in Canada, and some even finding place in Trudeau's cabinet, relations between India and Canada continue to get stronger, he added.

With inputs from PTI