M A I N   N E W S

Now, China issues stapled visas to Arunachal residents
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

New Delhi, January 12
China has needled India yet again by issuing stapled visas to two sportsmen from Arunachal Pradesh, provoking New Delhi to lodge a strong protest with Beijing.

“We have seen media reports on issuance of stapled visas to an athlete Sibi Yukar and his coach Abraham Kaya by the Chinese Embassy to India. Both of them, reportedly, are domiciled in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, which is an integral part of India,” the spokesman for the External Affairs Ministry said in response to questions.

He said it had been unequivocally conveyed to the Chinese side that a uniform practice on issuance of visas to Indian nationals must be followed, regardless of the applicant’s ethnicity or place of domicile.

It was also pointed out to Beijing that New Delhi had issued a travel advisory on November 12, 2009, cautioning Indian citizens that Chinese paper visas, stapled to the passport, were not considered valid for travel out of the country.

India had raised the issue of Beijing issuing stapled visas to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited New Delhi last month. However, he was non-committal on China reversing the practice, which has annoyed New Delhi no ends.

It is quite clear from the latest episode that Beijing has extended the practice of issuing stapled visas to the residents of Arunachal Pradesh, the Northeastern state, which it considers disputed.

The two sportsmen from Arunachal were prevented by immigration officials from boarding a flight today from New Delhi to Beijing since they had stapled visas issued by the Chinese Embassy on their passports.