Flabbergasted at Atwal's invitation to an event with Canada PM Trudeau, says former B.C. Premier
Ottawa, Feb 23 (IBNS): Former B.C. Premier Ujjal Dosanjh has said he was "flabbergasted" at convicted pro-Khalistani Jaspal Atwal's invitation to an event with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife in India, media reports said.
Reacting to Atwal's appearance in a picture with Trudeau's wife Sophie, Dosanjh told CTV News, "I was shocked at the incompetence it must have taken for the PMO or the RCMP or the High Commission to actually accomplish this—that you have a convicted attempted assassin…who is now hobnobbing with the elite of Canadian politics."
"What is India to make of it and what are Canadians to make of it? I just have no words," the former B.C. Premier added.
Atwal was convicted in Canada for attempting the murder of then-Punjab minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu on Vancouver Island in 1986.
Dosanjh has also accused Atwal of assaulting him earlier.
Recounting his own encounter with Atwal, Dosanjh said: "I was attacked in the parking lot of my law office by him with an iron bar with a bolt at the end of it and he left me with injuries that required 84 stitches to my head and several stitches to one of my hands."
Atwal's invitation to the dinner hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in India on Thursday came as an embarrassment for Trudeau as he had ensured Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh of Canada's distance from all those who are allegedly involved with the Sikh separatist movement.
Trudeau has also promised to take actions against all who want the Indian state of Punjab to be a separate country, named Khalistan.
As a damage control, the invitation to Atwal was later rescinded.
The Canadian Prime Minister has said that he will take action against the "person responsible" for inviting Atwal.
"We take this very seriously. The individual in question should have never received an invitation. The person and department responsible will take full responsibility for his actions," Trudeau said.
Atwal is reportedly a former member of the International Sikh Youth Federation, a banned 'terrorist’ group in Canada, the UK, the US and India.
Image: Website grab/CBC News
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