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India delays visa for SL’s envoy to Chennai
View(s):External Affairs Ministry officials say never before has it taken such a long time
By Our Diplomatic Editor
Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Deputy High Commissioner to India has not been able to assume duties in the south Indian Tamil Nadu state capital of Chennai for the past three months. The new Deputy High Commissioner A. Sabrullah Khan’s application for a diplomatic visa to take over duties at the mission was made in December last year.
The reason – the Government of India is yet to grant concurrence for the new Sri Lankan envoy’s appointment. Indian High Commission spokesperson Birendar Singh Yadav declined comment saying only that “approval has to come from New Delhi.” He said he could not say anything more.
However, External Affairs Ministry sources in Colombo yesterday said this was the first time their counterparts in New Delhi were taking “a long time” to process a nomination. “Surprisingly we have not been told yes or no. Never before has there been such a delay,” one official said.
The refusal by New Delhi to expedite matters comes in the wake of escalating agitation in Tamil Nadu against the Government of Sri Lanka over allegations of discrimination of Sri Lankan Tamils compounded with violent attacks on Sri Lankans visiting the state and Sri Lankan establishments in Chennai.
External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunatilleke Amunugama confirmed that New Delhi had not granted Mr. Khan a visa so far. “We are still awaiting approval,” he told the Sunday Times. Mr. Khan is currently a Director General in the Economic Affairs Division of the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Ministry wants to replace the present Deputy High Commissioner Ameer Ajwad, who was on a temporary posting in Chennai
In the wake of the on-going anti-Sri Lanka campaign in Tamil Nadu, the Government last week was exploring whether to shift the Chennai mission to Trivandrum in Kerala.
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