NEW DELHI: Home Ministry on Wednesday bristled with anger amid more reports of Canada denying visas to people associated with India’s security agencies — and terming those organisations as ones that indulged in “terrorism’’ and “subversion.’’ An Intelligence Bureau officer being sent to Canada ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s trip next month was first refused and then granted a visa after the Home Ministry kicked up a row. Canadian High Commissioner Joseph Caron was also summoned to the foreign office.
But then, some days later, the case of former Border Security Force jawan Fateh Singh Pandher, surfaced. And on Wednesday morning, Home Secretary G K Pillai was shooting off a stern letter to the foreign office with details of yet another case. Retired IB officer S S Sidhu, who planned to visit his son in Canada, had his visa application turned down through a letter that suggested that he had worked with an organisation, which could be “engaging in terrorism.’’ Sidhu complained to the IB only after the BSF jawan’s case hit headlines.
The letter he got from the Canadian High Commission in Marchend said his application was being turned down under the provisions of a sub section of Canada’s Immigration Act, which cited engaging in terrorism, espionage, or subversion by force of any government.
In recent days, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has taken up the matter more than once with the Canadian High Commission.
Canada made amends, issuing a statement saying it respected India’s Armed Forces.
But some Home Ministry officials suggest that if Canada doesn’t offer an unqualified apology and sends home the diplomat involved, India should retaliate by denying visas to anyone associated with the Canadian security agencies.
