Khalistani terrorist Atwal should never have been invited: Justin Trudeau

After receiving backlash over his wife Sophie Trudeau's photo with convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday said the matter was being taken "extremely seriously."

"Obviously, we take this extremely seriously. He should never have received an invitation," the Canadian Prime Minister said in the context of Atwal, who is one of four men convicted for ambushing and shooting Punjab Minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu at Vancouver Island in 1986.

Atwal was invited to dine with Trudeau at a formal event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner to India Nadir Patel on Thursday. The invite was later rescinded.

"As soon as we received the info, we rescinded it. A Member of Parliament had included this individual (Atwal)," Trudeau explained.

The Prime Minister also said Canada and India were "committed to pursuing and upholding democracy".

"We are the two largest democracies in the world, one by size and one by population," he added.

The Ministry of External Affairs, however, said it was trying to find out how Atwal managed to come to India.

"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," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.