On Wednesday, Justin Trudeau’s visit to India took a turn for the worse when it emerged that a convicted Khalistani terrorist attended his event in Mumbai.

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When asked the question, the normally articulate Justin Trudeau was left tongue-tied. He can be seen grimacing on camera before moving on.

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However, the invite is being rescinded now, as per reports of Canada?s CBC News.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

Atwal has also been photographed with the Canadian Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi in Mumbai on February 20.

Jaspal Atwal was convicted of the attempted murder of Punjab minister, Malkiat Singh Sidhu, on Vancouver Island in 1986.

At the time of the 1986 shooting, he was a Sikh separatist active in the pro-Khalistan International Sikh Youth Federation. He and three others were convicted in 1987 of trying to kill Malkiat Singh Sidhu.

Trudeau, who is in India on a week-long state visit, has been under pressure throughout his tour to answer Indian concerns about Sikh separatism in Canada.

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 an ANI