NEW DELHI: The US on Tuesday issued a travel advisory to its citizens traveling to South Asia with reference to India that extremist elements are also “active” in India. This comes even as New Delhi has offered a muted reaction to three people coming under fire in the US for being Indians.
Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar was dispatched to the US immediately after the Kansas shooting, the first in series of shootings, claimed life of an Indian. While President Donald Trump condemned the shooting in his first congressional speech, his administration refused to relent on the issue of H1B visa.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to speak on the issue. The silence is in sharp contrast to the Prime Minister’s exhortation at the Pravasi Bharatiya that ‘the welfare and safety of all Indians abroad is our top priority’, the MEA has not issued any strong statement. On the contrary, the Ministry issued an advisory cautioning Indian citizens travelling to Rio De Janerio after an Argentinean citizen was shot in the Latin American country.
The MEA has, however, denied that its response has been muted. Officials in the ministry said on condition of anonymity, “India’s concerns have been conveyed to the highest levels in the US. The US administration has been very cooperative and constructive in their approach.” The officials also pointed out that the US administration has also identified the root of the problem.
The other issue that is hampering India’s response is that while the first victim of the shooting was an Indian citizen, the other two were Persons of Indian Origin (PIO). “This also complicates the matter. The US administration has already identified the problem and shall be taking appropriate action has reflected in the statements issued by President Trump and their Embassy here,” the official added.
The US State Department has issued a worldwide advisory to its citizens cautioning them against traveling to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. "Extremist elements are also active in India, as outlined in a recent emergency message. Terrorists have hit a wide variety of targets and institutions in Bangladesh," the State Department Advisory said.