India Getting Criticism As To How Did This “Extremist” Jaspal Atwal Get A Visa To Travel To India?

The news that Jaspal Atwal, who was convicted in an assassination attempt in the 1980s, was invited to visiting Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's events and was photographed with the PM’s wife as well as cabinet ministers and MPs, as Trudeau was trying to reassure Indian leaders that his government doesn't support Sikh extremism. While Trudeau’s team need to ask tough questions on how this happened – there is also criticism of India in how did Atwal get a visa to visit India now as well as travelling there last year. Despite this incident which some say looks like a set up by Indian agencies and anti-Sikh forces, Trudeau said unequivocally, just as Prime Minister Stephen Harper did, that Canada will not crack down on those advocating peacefully for an independent Sikh state because that is a freedom of speech issue. "We will always stand against violent extremism, but we understand that diversity of views is one of the great strengths of Canada," Trudeau said. "I was able to make that very clear to him."

OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau's efforts to reassure Indian political leaders that his government repudiates violent Sikh extremism suffered an embarrassing setback Wednesday with the revelation that a Canadian Sikh convicted of trying to assassinate an Indian cabinet minister in 1986 has been invited to attend events with the prime minister during his visit to India.

The news that Jaspal Atwal, who was convicted in an assassination attempt in the 1980s, was invited to visiting Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's events and was photographed with the PM’s wife as well as cabinet ministers and MPs, as Trudeau was trying to reassure Indian leaders that his government doesn't support Sikh extremism.

Despite this incident which some say looks like a set up by Indian agencies and anti-Sikh forces, Trudeau said unequivocally, just as Prime Minister Stephen Harper did, that Canada will not crack down on those advocating peacefully for an independent Sikh state because that is a freedom of speech issue.

"We will always stand against violent extremism, but we understand that diversity of views is one of the great strengths of Canada," Trudeau said. "I was able to make that very clear to him."

CBC News reported late Wednesday that Atwal attended a prime ministerial event with the Indian film industry in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he posed for photographs with Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, and Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi.

He was also invited by Canada's high commissioner to India to dine with Trudeau at a formal reception Thursday in Delhi. CBC reported that the invitation was rescinded after the public broadcaster asked the Prime Minister's Office about it.

According to CBC, Atwal was a member of the International Sikh Youth Federation, a banned terrorist group in Canada and India, when he was convicted of the attempted murder of an Indian cabinet minister. He was one of four men who ambushed and shot Malkiat Singh Sidhu on Vancouver Island in 1986. CBC reported that Atwal has also been convicted in an automobile fraud case.

A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister's Office did not respond to a request to explain how Atwal could have ended up on the guest list for events during Trudeau's tour.

But CBC reported that they confirmed that it was Surrey-Centre MP Randip Sarai , who submitted Atwal’s name to the High Commissioner to be added to the dinner list. Sarai is one of 14 MPs travelling with Trudeau on his official visit.

While Trudeau’s team need to ask tough questions on how this happened – there is also criticism of India in how did Atwal get a visa to visit India now as well as travelling there last year.

The news of Atwal's involvement came just hours after Trudeau reassured the chief minister of Punjab, Amarinder Singh, that Canada supports a united India and condemns violent extremism.

Singh has in the past called four Sikh ministers in Trudeau's cabinet "Khalistani sympathizers" and last year refused to meet with one of them, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.

Tensions between Canada and India have risen in recent years over Indian concerns about a rise in Sikh extremism coming from some of Canada's Sikh communities. Trudeau's appearances at some Sikh events where extremist supporters also showed up caused unhappiness in India.

We will always stand against violent extremism, but we understand that diversity of views is one of the great strengths of Canada.

After his meeting Wednesday with Singh, Trudeau reiterated his position that Canada supports a united India and absolutely condemns violence for any cause, but will not crack down on those advocating peacefully for an independent Sikh state because that is a freedom of speech issue.

"We will always stand against violent extremism, but we understand that diversity of views is one of the great strengths of Canada," Trudeau said. "I was able to make that very clear to him."