The cancellation of my visa does not reflect well on India’s image as the largest democracy, says Dolkun Isa, a leader of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), who lives in Germany, and had been invited to a conference being organised in Dharamshala by US-based ‘Initiatives for China’.
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According to Isa, the government has not given any official reason for the u-turn. Official sources quoted by various news agencies suggested that Isa’s status as a designated “terrorist” and the red corner notice (RCN) on him by Interpol was missed during the e-visa process.
India had cancelled Dolkun’s visa to participate in the conference in Dharamsala, reportedly after China objected to it.
India’s decision last week to allow WUC leaders whom China regards as backers of terrorism in its volatile Muslim-dominated Xinjiang province had come in the backdrop of Beijing blocking India’s bid to get Pathankot terror attack mastermind Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the United Nations.
China’s discomfort about reports that Isa had been given the visa was reflected in Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying’s statement:
What I want to point out is that Dolkun is a terrorist in red notice of the Interpol and Chinese police. Bringing him to justice is due obligation of relevant countries.
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