New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday said Canada should apologise for its ‘unacceptable’ remarks about some serving and retired Indian security forces personnel whom it denied visas, and demanded ‘firmer and speedier steps’ from the Indian government in the matter.
‘We certainly demand an apology from the Canadian authorities. Such remarks are completely unacceptable to us,’ BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman told IANS.
She said the government was not adequately seized of the matter and should take firmer steps to get an apology from the Canadian high commission.
‘We want the government to take firmer and speedier steps to get an apology from Canadian authorities by clearly conveying the disappointment of the Indian people about the way in which they have sat on judgement about the country’s security forces.’
The ruling Congress expressed surprise at the denial of visa to some personnel from the security agencies.
‘We are surprised. The government should take up the matter seriously with the Canadian authorities,’ Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.
‘The paramilitary forces and Intelligence Bureau are government organisations working in the service of the nation against elements who violate law and order and human rights. The security agencies are performing a national duty,’ Ahmed added.
The Canadian high commission had denied visa to some former officials of the army, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and an officer of Punjab Police, citing objections to the nature of their work or sensitive location of their posting.
Last week, the Canadian high commission here refused a visa to Fateh Singh Pandher, a retired BSF constable, on grounds that he was associated with a ‘notoriously violent force’.
However, the Canadian authorities later went on a damage control exercise and expressed ‘great respect for India’s armed forces and related institutions’.
