India cancels Chinese dissident’s visa

In a significant development, India has cancelled Chinese dissident Dolkun Isa’s visa. India had earlier granted visa to Mr Isa to attend a conference in Dharamsala. A leader of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), Mr Isa was invited to attend the conference being organised by the US-based organisation Citizen Power for China. Many Uyghurs and other Chinese dissidents in exile are expected to attend and discuss democratic transformation in China during the conference.

However, the latest development has raised questions about whether India has buckled under pressure from China. While India has cited the Interpol red alert as a reason, Mr Isa said: “On April 23, I got a very short note by the Indian side that my visa is cancelled. There was no explanation… May be because of Chinese pressure put on the Indian government. But, I do not know…I did not get any explanation from the Indian side.”

Expressing disappointment at India’s decision, Mr Isa said that the amount of publicity given to his visit could also be the reason for the cancellation. “India had granted me a tourist e-visa, but it was cancelled after my visit was widely reported in the Indian press,” Mr Isa said.

China had strongly objected to India’s decision to grant visa to Mr Isa. India’s reaction to initially grant a visa was seen as a tit for tat decision after China had blocked a move in the UN against Masood Azhar, the Pathankot terror attack mastermind.

Mr Isa and some of the other WUC members are considered terrorists by China, and accused them of fomenting separatism in Xinjiang province.

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