Stapled visas better than no visas: Arunachal CM’s aide

Saturday, July 23, 2011

TNN

NEW DELHI-- Disgruntlement over China's decision to issue stapled visas to Arunachal Pradesh residents took a new turn with former MP Kirren Rijuju suggesting that the visa regime be accepted, a stand supported by the state's Olympic association as well.

With a five-member karate team stopped from travelling to China for a competition, Rijuju wrote to foreign minister S M Krishna that stapled visas be accepted if some assurances on resolution of the border issues could be obtained from Beijing. It was hurtful when the karatekas were turned back from the airport, he said.

Rijuju, who is also principal advisor to chief minister Jarbom Gamblin, wrote to Krishna on Friday as a former MP. In response to a previous letter, Krishna informed Rijuju that "by following a two-track visa policy, China has disputed the legality of our international borders thereby impinging adversely on our national sovereignty as well as territorial integrity".

Arguing that there could not be any discrimination against Indian visa applicants on grounds of domicile, Krishna noted that the Chinese foreign office has categorically stated that Beijing's position was unchanged. "Our acceptance, thereby, of stapled visas would imply dilution of our stand towards Chinese claims," he said.

But Rijuju has again expressed apprehension that Arunachalese people may not be able to attend events in China and that India "may require a shift in its strategy without compromising on national interest".

The former MP argued that China was an important destination in economic terms and though he did not spell out how national interest could be safeguarded while accepting stapled visas, his position was echoed by the Arunachal Olympic Association. The AOA requested the Centre to accept stapled visas till the dispute was resolved.

"People of Arunachal Pradesh, especially sportspersons, should be allowed to travel to China with stapled visa until both the countries resolve the issue," the organisation's secretary general G Doke said, according to an agency report. The association and Rijuju's statements came on Friday.

"The incident is no less than a humiliation. People of this remote northeastern state have been repeatedly denied normal visas as if they were not Indian citizens," Doke said. The team, including officials, was on its way to Guangzhou to represent India at the Asian Karate-do Championship from July 20 to 25.

Rijuju was, however, issued a regular visa while visiting China during the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. "I do not know how China changed its position again thereafter," he wrote to Krishna. Doke asked the Centre to resolve the visa problem with China without delay so that people of the state did not face the same problem in future.