Canada rescinds invitation to militant to dine with Trudeau

NEW DELHI: Canadian officials Thursday admitted a Sikh extremist convicted of attempting to murder an Indian minister had been invited to dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in New Delhi, in the latest controversy to dog the premier´s week-long visit to India.

A statement confirming Jaspal Atwal´s invitation to Thursday´s official event had been cancelled comes less than a day after Trudeau sought to quash perceptions his administration was soft on Sikh extremists.

The Canadian embassy told AFP it “has rescinded Mr. Atwal´s invitation”.Atwal was convicted for a botched assassination attempt on an Indian minister in Canada in 1986, and was sentenced to 20 years by a Canadian court.

He reportedly attended an event in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he was photographed alongside Trudeau´s wife Sophie Gregoire, according to Canada´s public broadcaster CBC.The embassy would not comment on whether Atwal was part of Trudeau´s official delegation, although reports in Canada said Trudeau´s office had denied this.“We do not comment on matters relating to the PM´s security,” it said.