Who is Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal, the man invited to Justin Trudeau’s reception?

Jaspal Atwal, a Khalistani terrorist, who had been convicted in case of attempted murder, when he had tried to kill a Punjab minister in Canada, was invited by the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi.

His invitation which was later rescinded.

When asked about the Atwal’s presence during his visit to Jama Masjid, the Canadian PM was tongue-tied.

Canadian journalist and columnist Candice Malcom wrote on Twitter that he was part of Trudeau’s entourage to India. She wrote: “Trudeau’s India entourage includes a man convicted of a 1986 attempt to assassinate a visiting Indian politician in Canada.”

She added: “Some journalists, Liberal partisans and Trudeau-apologists are trying to tell you that convicted criminal Jaspal Atwal is not part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s official government delegation in India. This is not true. Atwal received an official invitation to attend an official state dinner in India. He also attended another high-level function with Trudeau and his inner circle. That’s at least two events. Two very private, very high-level events.”

Some passive-aggressive journalists are complaining about my description of Atwal as part of Trudeau’s entourage. They deny that a Canadian who is in India, upon an official invitation from the Trudeau government, is part of the delegation or entourage.

— Candice Malcolm (@CandiceMalcolm) February 22, 2018

However, the Canadian PMO denied Atwal was part of Trudeau’s delegation. Atwal was set to attend an event hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in New Delhi on Thursday.  

Found one more photo of Justin Trudeau with Jaspal Atwal. Judging by Trudeau's long hair, they've known each other for a while. pic.twitter.com/Sx12fBSSo8

— Candice Malcolm (@CandiceMalcolm) February 22, 2018

Jaspal Atwal was found guilty of attempted murder in 1986 after shooting a Punjab state minister who was visiting Vancouver Island. Atwal lives in Canada, but travelled to India and attended a government function last night.

Here he is with Sophie Trudeau. pic.twitter.com/4vyJcTlJr1

— Candice Malcolm (@CandiceMalcolm) February 22, 2018

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office said: “This individual should never have been invited to any event on the program, and his invitation has been rescinded.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."

According to CBC news, his name was submitted by Surrey Centre MP Randeep Sarai who is one of the 14 MPS travelling with Trudeau.

Who is Jaspal Atwal?

A Sikh separatist who was active in the banned International Sikh Youth Federation, he was convicted of the attempted murder of Punjab Minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu in Vancouver in 1986. Sidhu survived, but was later assassinated in India.

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. Dosanjh was left speechless by Atwal’s invitation: “I’m left speechless. This speaks volumes about the kind of inroads Khalistanis have made into the Liberal Party of Canada and the echelons of power.”

He added:  “This is what I have been saying. This is not about freedom of speech, it is about Canadian politicians openly hobnobbing, associating with unquestionable elements that are Khalistanis.”

Atwal previously held a position in Trudeau’s Liberal Party of Canada.

No sympathy for Khalistanis?

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.

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. However, the latest developments are unlikely to boost Indo-Canadian relations.

With inputs from PTI