New Delhi, May 26:
Just days after Canada refused visa to a retired Border Security Force (BSF) official on the charges of involvement in human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, two more incidents of denial of visas by the Canadian Home office on the same grounds have come to light.
The denial of visas, over the last two years, has angered the Home Ministry, which has warned that India would also retaliate by denying visas to Canadian officials who go to Afghanistan via this country.
A retired Lieutenant General of the army A S Bahia who served as a member of Defence Appellate Tribunal has alleged that Canadian Home office refused to grant him a visa because he had served in the sensitive location of Jammu and Kashmir.
Lieutenant General Bahia said Canada has also alleged that his unit the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) was involved in human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Lieutenant General Bahia commanded a Rashtriya Rifles unit in Jammu and Kashmir when he was a Brigadier.
Bahia, who retired as the Quarter Master General (QMG) on April 30, 2006, told PTI over phone that he had brought the matter to the notice of appropriate authorities.
The second case involves a former Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer who has also been denied a visa because the Canadian Government believes he would indulge in spying in their country.
The rejection letter said he could not be given visa as he had served in an organisation like IB and that led to apprehension that he could engage in an act of espionage or subversion, or violence that would or might endanger the lives or safety of persons in Canada.
A serving Intelligence Bureau officer, assigned to travel to Toronto in connection with the Prime Ministers trip there next month, was also denied visa recently but was later allowed to travel after protest from India.
In another revelation, two Brigadiers were denied visas in 2008 and another in 2009.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has strongly opposed the act of Canadian authorities through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The issue first came to light when the Canadian High Commission denied a visa last week to a retired Border Security Force (BSF) trooper Fateh Singh Pandher on grounds that he was associated with a notoriously violent force that indulged in human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, a private news channel quoting Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said that the MEA has taken up the matter with the Canadian High Commission.
We have expressed concern and we continue to take this seriously, Nirupama Rao said.
The Home Ministry wants the Canadian High Commission to apologise, withdraw the comments and take action against the officers responsible for such behaviour.
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/today/full_story.asp?Date=27_5_2010&ItemID=40&cat=1
Just days after Canada refused visa to a retired Border Security Force (BSF) official on the charges of involvement in human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, two more incidents of denial of visas by the Canadian Home office on the same grounds have come to light.
The denial of visas, over the last two years, has angered the Home Ministry, which has warned that India would also retaliate by denying visas to Canadian officials who go to Afghanistan via this country.
A retired Lieutenant General of the army A S Bahia who served as a member of Defence Appellate Tribunal has alleged that Canadian Home office refused to grant him a visa because he had served in the sensitive location of Jammu and Kashmir.
Lieutenant General Bahia said Canada has also alleged that his unit the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) was involved in human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Lieutenant General Bahia commanded a Rashtriya Rifles unit in Jammu and Kashmir when he was a Brigadier.
Bahia, who retired as the Quarter Master General (QMG) on April 30, 2006, told PTI over phone that he had brought the matter to the notice of appropriate authorities.
The second case involves a former Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer who has also been denied a visa because the Canadian Government believes he would indulge in spying in their country.
The rejection letter said he could not be given visa as he had served in an organisation like IB and that led to apprehension that he could engage in an act of espionage or subversion, or violence that would or might endanger the lives or safety of persons in Canada.
A serving Intelligence Bureau officer, assigned to travel to Toronto in connection with the Prime Ministers trip there next month, was also denied visa recently but was later allowed to travel after protest from India.
In another revelation, two Brigadiers were denied visas in 2008 and another in 2009.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has strongly opposed the act of Canadian authorities through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The issue first came to light when the Canadian High Commission denied a visa last week to a retired Border Security Force (BSF) trooper Fateh Singh Pandher on grounds that he was associated with a notoriously violent force that indulged in human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, a private news channel quoting Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said that the MEA has taken up the matter with the Canadian High Commission.
We have expressed concern and we continue to take this seriously, Nirupama Rao said.
The Home Ministry wants the Canadian High Commission to apologise, withdraw the comments and take action against the officers responsible for such behaviour.
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/today/full_story.asp?Date=27_5_2010&ItemID=40&cat=1
