Canadian MP Randeep Sarai takes responsibility for inviting Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal to India

As the controversy over invitation to Punjab pro-Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal continued, the ministry of external affairs(MEA) said it was seeking information on how a visa was granted to Atwal.

Canadian minister of infrastructure and communities Amarjeet Sohi was photographed with Jaspal Atwal in Mumbai on February 20th. Atwal, a former member of banned terrorist group international sikh youth federation, was invited for dinner with PM Justin Trudeau in Delhi today.

Jaspal Atwal was convicted of attempted murder of Punjab minister, Malkiat Singh Sidhu, on Vancouver Island in 1986, he was one of four men who allegedly ambushed and shot at Sidhu's car.

"There are two aspects to it, presence and visa. The Canadian side has already clarified that the invitation has been withdrawn," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

"About the visa, I don't know how it happened. We have ascertained information from our Commission," the spokesman added.

As the issue blew up both sides quickly went on damage control mode, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said: "We take this extremely seriously, he should never have received an invitation. As soon as we received the information we rescinded it." The Canadian PM added that a member of Parliament had included Atwal.

"Let us not presume things and decide how he managed to come. This is something which we are trying to find out. In due course, we will be able to come up with a reason that how he managed to come in India," the ministry of external affairs spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Randeep S. Sarai has taken responsibility for inviting Jaspal Atwal to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's reception dinner in New Delhi, which is scheduled to take place later on Thursday.

"I alone facilitated his request to attend this important event. I should have exercised better judgment, and I take full responsibility for my actions," Sarai said in a statement, which Canadian journalist Abigail Bimman shared on Twitter.