New Delhi
28 December 2009
Union Minister of State of External Affairs Shashi Tharoor's comments on the
new visa rules, which he posted on Twitter, provoked a riposte from Minister of External
Affairs SM Krishna, who urged discretion.
"These (issues) are not to be discussed in public. If there are any perceptions, then I
think it should be sorted out within the four walls of the ministry," Mr Krishna told
reporters when asked to react to Tharoor's comments on social networking site Twitter.
While tweeting, Tharoor had wondered whether tightening of the visa norms made any
sense and if it would actually "protect" security as "26/11 killers had no visas". Tharoor
asked whether India would allow terrorists to make the country a "less welcoming"
destination.
Although Mr Krishna maintained that he had "no position" on whether policy issues
should be talked about on sites such as Twitter, he did mention that "the business of
government is far too serious" and "has to be conducted in a manner in which we
decide."
Mr Krishna iterated that there was no ambiguity on the visa issue and the ministries of
external affairs and home affairs held the same view.
"We have gone along with the Home Ministry with reference to the visa and other
issues. As far as Ministry of External Affairs is concerned, there is no ambiguity," he
elaborated.
The government has made it clear that there would be no rethinking on the new
guidelines under which a foreigner holding long-term multi-entry tourist visa can re-enter
the country only after a break of two months.
The Union Home Ministry insisted that it would not compromise with the country's
security interests as far as new visa rules are concerned.
A senior official of the ministry said that the government has not received any complaint
from any country, including the US or the UK, after the new visa rules were implemented,
but clarifications have been sought by Washington and they have been addressed.
The official further said, "When some foreign missions based in India sought clarity, we
told them that if someone has to worry about tourists arrival, it is India which has to
worry and not any other nation".
As per the new visa rules, no tourist, having a travel document valid for 180 days, would
be allowed to return to the country before a cooling-off period of two months. The new
visa guidelines have been formulated after considering all relevant aspects and giving
the security of the nation the top most priority, said the official.
The BJP described Tharoor's tweets on the new visa rules as "callous" and said the
government should clarify its position on the issue instead of "speaking in different
voices".
"Tharoor has made a callous remark (on 26/11 killers not needing visas). How can a
person in his position make such statements even in jest?" BJP spokesperson Rajiv
Pratap Rudy said, and accused the government of taking "contradictory stand" on visa
norms.
For its part, the Congress party downplayed it, saying Tharoor's approach has a
"human" touch even though the government has security compulsions.
"He (Tharoor) has a humanitarian approach on the issue and it has a human touch. But
for the government, there are compulsions pertaining to security in the backdrop of terror
attacks, particularly 26/11," Congress Spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.
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