Counsel denied entry as he did not have valid visa: MEA
Lord Alexander Carlile, a British peer leading the legal battle of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia, on Thursday accused India of succumbing to pressure from Dhaka, after he was deported from the airport in Delhi.
Speaking at a press interaction held through tele-conference, Lord Carlile claimed that he had a valid Indian visa to speak about the alleged excesses being committed by the government of Sheikh Hasina.
“I obtained a business visa for my trip. India has not explained why I was denied entry,” he said in response to questions. He maintained that Bangladesh had exerted pressure on India to prevent his entry into Delhi where he would have informed the media about the difficulties faced by Khaleda Zia.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) however, said the lawyer did not have valid visa for holding a press conference in Delhi.
“We informed him in advance that his visa was not valid. So he came with a return boarding pass for a flight that was to leave after two hours,” said the MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar raising questions about Lord Carlile’s intention behind the trip.
U.K. may flag issue
Sources from the U.K. however indicated that the issue may figure in bilateral discussions with New Delhi. “Immigration issues are a matter for India. We will be following up with the Government of India to understand why this decision was made,” said an official source from the U.K.
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