In an interview with the LINK Friday, Dhaliwal called media reports that he has been denied a visa by India “rubbish” and “sensational”, saying that the newspaper didn’t even print his comments in which he told them that he still has a valid visa and has applied for one but has not been officially denied a visa.
By R. Paul Dhillon
SURREY – While rumours have circulated for months that India was trying to punish the outspoken former Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal by being petty and refusing to air his opinion about the human rights abuses by the Indian government against Sikhs – it was reported by a local South Asian newspaper this week that indeed India had denied Dhaliwal a visitor’s visa.
But in an interview with the LINK Friday, Dhaliwal called the media report “rubbish” and “sensational”, saying that the newspaper didn’t even print his comments in which he told them that he still has a valid visa and has applied for one but has not been officially denied a visa.
“I have a valid visitor’s visa to India which is due to expire and therefore I have applied for another visa and I am waiting to hear back from them,” Dhaliwal said, expressing his frustration that the newspaper is sensationalizing the issue.
“I can’t say at this point that India has denied me a new visa when they have not. I’m waiting to hear back from them which will be most likely next week,” Dhaliwal said, adding that due to his stand on human rights, the Indian officials are doing their job to scrutinize, but he does not for see being denied a visa, especially being an ex-MP, which would certainly lead to diplomatic issues between India and Canada.
In any case, Dhaliwal said he would be the first to go to the media if and when he is officially denied a visa by India because he said it would be wrong and would suggest that India is bent on trying to suppress opinion and is using visa denial as punishment for NRIs.
“I have made no bone in my criticism and it is my democratic right as a Canadian and as an Non-Resident Indian to express what I feel,” Dhaliwal said. “Should I be punished for that?
“I think that is what India needs to decide but in doing so they also have to remember what kind of democracy they want to be. India is facing much more serious issues that their citizenry is currently putting before the government – like corruption. In a healthy democracy – it is important that all opinions are heard and given weight by the government. There shouldn’t be an agenda to suppress opinion.”
Dhaliwal said he doesn’t feel that India is trying to deny him visa especially since he has travelled numerous times since presenting the Sikh community petition in Canadian parliament to recognize the 1984 massacre of Sikhs in India as an act of genocide.
While he was praised for his sincere effort by the Canadian Sikh community for having the guts to take this important action – Dhaliwal was demonized by the usual anti-Sikh and pro-India factions. It is these factions, according to many the LINK have talked to, that are pushing for Dhaliwal be banned from visiting India.
Dhaliwal said it was never his intention to travel with Premier Christy Clark, with whom he has close ties after being one of her main Indo-Canadian backers in the leadership race, on her upcoming trade mission to India but now he is having second thoughts.
“I wasn’t thinking of going on the trip but now I’m thinking about joining Premier Clark’s delegation,” Dhaliwal, who is a well known, wealthy businessman with interests in property and land development as well having an established engineering firm, told the LINK.
