*NEW DELHI – India has been left red faced over the recent remarks of theCanadian PM Justin Trudeau regarding the presence of the Khalistaniseparatists in the Canadian PM dinner and invitees.*
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told the Canadian parliamentthat he agreed with what one of his senior officials had said — thatfactions within the Indian government were behind the move to inviteKhalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal to the Canadian high commissioner’sreception in Delhi.
The opposition Conservative Party raised the issue in Canadian parliament,demanding to know whether Mr Trudeau agreed with the remarks of theofficial, identified by the Canadian media as national security adviserDaniel Jean.
“Will the prime minister tell the house whether or not anyone in his officearranged, organised or participated in the media briefing provided toreporters that included the allegation that the Government of India wassomehow involved in his embarrassing blunder in India?” asked oppositionleader Andrew Scheer.
“Our professional, non-partisan public service does high quality work andwhen one of our top diplomats and security officials says something toCanadians, it’s because they know it to be true,” said Mr Trudeau in hisresponse.
Reacting strongly to Mr Trudeau’s remarks, the ministry of external affairssaid, “We categorically state that the Government of India, including thesecurity agencies, had nothing to do with the presence of Jaspal Atwal atthe event hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai or theinvitation issued to him for the Canadian High Commissioner’s reception inNew Delhi. Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless and unacceptable.”
Jaspal Atwal was a Sikh separatist active in the banned International SikhYouth Federation when he was convicted of a botched attempt to assassinatePunjab minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu in Canada in 1986.
Jaspal Atwal was photographed with Mr Trudeau’s wife Sophie Trudeau andCanadian minister Amarjeet Sohi at an event in Mumbai last week. Amidst therow, the Canadian envoy in India withdrew an invite to Jaspal Atwal for adinner hosted for the visiting prime minister.
After Mr Trudeau said he would take action against “the person responsible”for the invites, Canadian lawmaker Randeep Sarai had taken the blame andapologised.
The External Affairs Ministry said it is investigating how Jaspal Atwal gotan Indian visa and why he was cleared for the Trudeau events.
After a lukewarm visit, this row won’t help India-Canada ties in the nearfuture. And as if to run home the point that Mr Trudeau isn’t importantenough, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to the airport last night toreceive the Jordanian king, something he hadn’t done for Mr Trudeau.