New Delhi (Sputnik) — The cancellation of visa to the World Uighur Congress leader, Dolkun Isa has created an international controversy.
In an exclusive interview with Sputnik, Dolkun Isa said that India buckled under Chinese pressure but he also regretted that he had put India in a difficult position.
"Maybe it was strong Chinese pressure which caused the Indian Government to cancel the visa. But I am also sorry that I put the Indian Government in the difficult situation," Dolkun Isa told Sputnik in an exclusive interview.
India's U-turn in first issuing a visa to Dolkun and then cancelling it may have been due to Chinese pressure as China has previously protested the issuing of the visa. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that, "What I want to point out is that Dolkun is a terrorist on Interpol's red notice and is wanted by Chinese police. Bringing him to justice is the due obligation of all relevant countries."
The Indian decision came soon after the Chinese protest. In fact, sources within the Ministry of External Affairs told Sputnik that Dolkun Isa's visa was cancelled after reviewing the Interpol red corner notice against him.
"There is no explanation. I got a very brief message from the Indian side, that your visa, valid for a month, is cancelled," Dolkun Isa told Sputnik, still clearly perplexed by the Indian Government's decision.
Swing seems to be swinging against India's strategic interest @SEAsia. India's clout compromised as #ModiBowsToChina pic.twitter.com/YDzfqcVfmx
— Maharashtra Congress (@mahcongress) 25 April 2016
The decision has received sharp criticism. The issue of the visa was seen as a tough response by the government in view of China's decision to not designate Pakistani national Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the UN.
Dolkun Isa, leader of World Uyghur Congress lives in Germany and was invited to the interfaith conference in Dharmasala in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India.
