Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal should’ve never been invited: Canadian minister Kirsty Duncan

NEW DELHI: Reacting to the controversy surrounding the invitation to Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's dinner reception, Canadian Minister for Science and Sports Kirsty Duncan on Thursday said that  Atwal should have not been invited.

Duncan, however, added that the invitation has now been rescinded and that they are now looking into the matter.

“This person should of course never have been invited. The invitation has now been rescinded. We are looking into how this happened. We know when there is an international travel. Sometime people will come forward, whether they have been invited or not,” Duncan told ANI.

Earlier today, the Canadian High Commission had confirmed that the invitation to Khalistani terrorist to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's reception has been rescinded.

Jaspal, a convicted Khalistani terrorist, who was active in the banned International Sikh Youth Federation, was invited for a formal dinner with the Canadian Prime Minister, hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner, scheduled to take place later in the day.

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 on a week-long visit to India accompanied with his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and three children -Ella-Grace, Xavier and Hadrien and a delegation of ministers, has been under pressure throughout his tour to answer Indian concerns about Sikh separatism in Canada.