Former Canadian NSA rejects theory about how Jaspal Atwal visited India

TORONTO: Canada’s former national security advisor has dismissed the theory advanced by his successor that convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal was planted by “rogue elements” in India to embarrass Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his recent visit to India.

Atwal was convicted on terror charges related to the attempted assassination of a visiting minister from Punjab in 1985. His presence at an official event in Mumbai attended by Trudeau and an invitation to an official dinner reception hosted by the Canadian envoy in New Delhi caused embarrassment to Trudeau.

Asked during the course of an interview on a syndicated Canadian radio talk show by host Evan Solomon whether he did “buy the conspiracy theory”, Richard Fadden, who served as NSA to Trudeau and his predecessor Stephen Harper, said: “I do not.”

Even as Fadden’s rejection of the theory was being aired, Jagmeet Singh, leader of the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), waded into the controversy by seeking an investigation into the matter.

Singh tweeted, “Canadians are concerned about the allegations of foreign interference by elements of the Indian government. If true, they do serious harm to our democracy. New Democrats are calling on the government to investigate their claims of interference and provide Canadians the truth.” Singh has been critical of India’s handling of the antisikh riots in 1984.