India has refuted the conspiracy theory, tacitly acknowledged by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, that Indian government factions sabotaged his trip by approving the visa for Pro-Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal.
Taking it to Twitter, The Ministry Of External Affairs (MEA) wrote: "Indian government had nothing to do with the presence of Atwal at the event hosted by the Canadian HC." "Any suggestions to the contrary is 'baseless and unacceptable," the tweet added.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not refute the 'conspiracy theory' that Indian government factions sabotaged his trip by approving the visa for Pro-Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal who was convicted of the attempted murder of Punjab minister, Malkiat Singh Sidhu, on Vancouver Island in 1986.
Responding to a Conservative leader's question about the "allegations" made by a senior government security source, Trudeau on Wednesday said, "When one of our top diplomats and security officials says something to Canadians it's because they know it to be true." Adding that it was the previous Conservative government that "torqued the public service every possible way they could."
Trudeau, who was on a weeklong visit, received a lacklustre welcome from Indian government. The reason for Trudeau's lukewarm reception could be that several members of his government were closely allied with a Sikh independence movement - the Khalistan movement - which seeks to create a separate independent Sikh homeland in Punjab.
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Trudeau also attended a Khalsa Day event in Toronto where Khalistan flags and the portrait of former Khalistani militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale were displayed.
Outlook in one of its recent cover stories, Panth And A Foreign Hand, had said “A new real threat of Khalistani terror, fuelled and funded by foreign gurudwaras patronised by liberal white politicians, has revived memories of a blood-drenched era of Punjab’s history”.
