Canadian PM backs ‘rogue Indian hand’ theory in Atwal row
OWNING UP Liberal Party MP who asked for the Khalistani terrorist to be invited to an event with Trudeau quits as chair of Pacific Caucus
: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is standing by a senior national security official’s startling accusation that a convicted Khalistani terrorist’s presence in India during his recent visit was an attempt by “rogue” elements in the Indian establishment to embarrass him on the issue of Sikh separatist activity on Canadian soil.
As Trudeau’s visit to India captivated the Canadian political class, opposition Conservatives raised the issue in the House of Commons, the lower house of Parliament.
They asked whether Trudeau agreed with the “conspiracy theory” advanced by the official, identified by Canadian media as National Security Advisor Daniel Jean.
Responding to the Opposition attack, Trudeau said, “When one of our top diplomats and security officials says something to Canadians, it’s because they know it to be true.”
Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal was present at an event hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai and an invitation had been extended to him for a reception by the envoy in New Delhi
Trudeau’s comment also brought a furious retort from Canadian conservative MP and leader of Opposition, Andrew Scheer, who tweeted: “Justin Trudeau just made an incredibly serious charge against the Indian government — which has real implications for Canada’s foreign relations and national security. He needs to provide proof of this immediately.”
Jean, during a news conference in New Delhi last Thursday, told the Canadian media it was “not an accident” that Atwal was present in India and had been removed from a “blacklist” by the
TORONTO
Indian government.
Atwal and three men were convicted of attempted murder for a 1986 attack on Akali Dal leader Malkiat Singh Sidhu while he was visiting relatives in Canada.
Sidhu, then a minister of state in the Punjab government, was injured in the attack. He was later killed in Punjab in 1991.
Opposition members have been less than satisfied with the responses they received from the government. Conservative MP Candice Bergen asked, “Before our Prime Minister destroys our relationship with our ally, the government and country of India, will he please tell this House what proof he has of that allegation?”
Without refuting the allegation against the Indian government, Canada’s public safety minister Ralph Goodale fired back that “the accusations and insinuations coming from the opposition are and utterly false”.
New Democratic Party MP Charlie Angus was vehement: “They’ve doubled down using a senior civil servant and now the prime minister to spread a conspiracy theory that somehow the Indian government is trying to make the Liberals look bad.”
Angus went on, as quoted by the Canadian media, “What is the prime minister thinking, putting the interests of the Liberal machine ahead of national security, international relations and Canada’s reputation?”
Meanwhile, Liberal Party MP Randeep Sarai who already took responsibility for asking Atwal to be included in the list of guests for the dinner reception in New Delhi, quit as chair of the Liberal party’s Pacific Caucus, taking responsibility for the goof-up, according to a media report.
INDIA DENIES THEORY
India reacted to Trudeau’s comments on Wednesday saying it had nothing to do with Atwal’s presence.
“Let me categorically state that the government of India, including the security agencies, had nothing to do with the presence of Jaspal Atwal at the event hosted by the Canadian high commissioner in Mumbai or the invitation issued to him for the Canadian high commissioner’s reception in New Delhi... any suggestion to the contrary is baseless and unacceptable,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.