Man who Jaspal Atwal tried to kill has a message for Trudeau

An invitation sent out to a convicted terrorist, who supported an illegal Sikh separatist group, for an official event in honour of visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has created a storm in New Delhi. The Khalistani terrorist, Jaspal Atwal, was found guilty of trying to kill a Punjab minister in Vancouver in the '80s and was sentenced to 20 years in jail. That sentence was overturned and Atwal never went to jail.

Atwal was also charged, but not convicted, in a 1985 near-fatal attack on Ujjal Dosanjh, a member of Trudeau's Liberal Party and opponent of the Sikh separatist movement. He later became the premier of British Columbia.

WION'sSaurabh Bose spoke toDosanjh on Trudeau's visit and the controversy around invitation given to Atwal.

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Q: Jaspal Atwal's presence in Canadian PM's delegation to India has generated lot of controversy. What do you have to say about that?

Ujjal Dosanjh: I learnt about it today. It is troubling to know that a man who was convicted for an assassination attempt is in the delegation led by Canadian PM. I know that he may not be part of the official delegation but he is visiting India at the same time and was invited to the official dinner in PM Trudeau's honour by the Canadian high commission. Therefore, I assume that he is somewhat known to the PM's delegation as well as the high comissioner.

Q: But the Canadian high commissioner gave an official invite to Atwal to attend a dinner on February 22 with the PM in Delhi and then withdrew the invitation...

Ujjal Dosanjh: I believe that whole trip of Trudeau has been marred by these kind of incidents. First, there was speculation over his meeting with Punjab Chief Minister, then they decided to mend their fences and met. Then this controversy erupted. And when you look at that, one is baffled by the fact that Atwal, who had attacked someone like me back in the '80s, is included in the high commissioner's dinner. He is fairly well known. He was acquitted of the charges but then he again tried to kill the visiting Punjab cabinet minister (Malkiat Singh Sidhu) and I believe that kind of man who served time in jail as a result of that conviction ought to have been known to the Prime Minister's Office.

Q: Did Atwal attack you because you espoused the cause of united India while lot of radicals were talking about Khalistan in Canada in those days?

Ujjal Dosanjh: Well, that was the reason. I was one of the very few people in Canada who spoke up at that time and I spoke up for two reasons - one for the unity and integrity of India and more importantly for unity of the Indian community. We have people from different faiths living here (in Canada) and we want to make sure that we live in peace amongst ourselves and with the rest of Canadian population. We have had a long struggle to gain basic rights in Canada and I don't want that struggle to be reversed, to lose ground by these kind of activities so I spoke out for Canada and India at that time.

Q: And Atwal then attacked Malkiat Singh Sidhu and was convicted for it, right?

Ujjal Dosanjh: He attacked me first and he of course denied the attack. He was acquitted on technicalities by the judge and I said 'you know, fine, justice has been done. If the Crown prosecution has not been able to prove beyond reasonable doubt so be it' but then he went on to attack the visiting Punjab cabinet minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu on Vancouver Island and for that he was convicted. He is obviously a bit of a controversial chap, he has some recent convictions in connection with an insurance fraud. I am not aware of that but I am learning from the newspapers.

Q: Do you think his previous actions are reasons good enough for the Canadian goevrnment to keep a distance?

Ujjal Dosanjh: Oh, absolutely. Forget the attempted assassination on Punjabi cabinet minister or assault against me, just the insurance fraud would have kept someone away from the high commissioner's dinner or reception in India. I believe that obviously the Prime Minister's Office and security apparatus has failed in this regard. I am somewhat suprised and dissapointed.

Q: What should the Canadian government do to make things better?

Ujjal Dosanjh: It encourages them indirectly by appearing in their events, by appearing on their stages, by appearing in parades where some of the mass murderers like Talvinder Parmar - who bombed Air India - where their potrait are glorified. So I believe that in fact you know it is alright for PM of Canada to say that we believe in the unity of India and integrity of India and we won't support Khalistan but what really needs to be done and where I think Indian politicians have been absolutely inept is the framing of the question. The question ought not to be framed by politicians like 'Mr Trudeau do something about these people in Canada' that's not the issue because Canada will simply say to you we are a free country, people are free to express their views so is India. The question is not whether you express or they express their views; the question is whether the government, the cabinet ministers, the Prime Minister and other politicians in this country associate themselves with the Khalistanis in their functions, their parades. When these terrorists pray in those parades openly and shout Khalistan slogans and glorify those murderers, it is then that politicians shouldn't adorn those stages; that is what's wrong. Politicians must cease and desist from doing that and if they understand this, the Khalistan problem in Canada will disappear and that's what the government of India needs to say to Canadian politicians. The issue is: Canadian politicians are complicit by appearing at their functions, on their stages where these mass murderers are glorified and when Khalistan slogans are raised. This complicity must stop that's what government of India and politicians of India need to say (to them). So far, nobody has said that clearly.

Q: Anything else that the Canadians should do?

Ujjal Dosanjh: Well, I am saddened both as an Indian by heritage and Canadian by citizenship that this trip has not gone well. It could have gone well as the government of Canada knew that India was concerned about the Khalistani activity here. I am still hoping that it can be salvaged when the two Prime Ministers meet.

Q: Any message for the Canadian PM?

Ujjal Dosanjh: Mr Trudeau is a smart man, he does not need any message from me but I think it is important. I am sure it is clear to him that issue isn't unity and integrity of India, the issue is not of free speech. The issue is whether or not he, his government and other politicians in this country and his colleagues - directly or indirectly - support the activities of Khalistanis by being in their functions, by being on their stages where murderers are glorified, where Khalistan slogans are raised and I think that's an issue that he needs to pay attention to.