Consulate expresses regret, Amtes get visa

After initially denying him a visa because he as 8220;economically weak8221;, the American consulate in Mumbai expressed regret today and said visas would be granted to well-known activist Prakash Amte and his wife Manda.

Amte received a phone call from the consulate today, informing him of the revised decision. 8220;They asked us to come back with our passports and collect the visas. Since we have already returned, I requested them to hand it over to a friend in Mumbai. They agreed and said they will post the visas to my Hemalkasa address in Gadchiroli,8221; Amte told The Indian Express at Ashokvan, his father Baba Amte8217;s leprosy rehabilitation project near here.

Amte, a Padmashree awardee and winner of the prestigious Venu Menon Award, and Manda had appeared for a visa interview at the American consulate on Saturday. The two are to attend the biennial session of the Brihanmaharashtra Mandal of US at Seattle from June 29 to July 1 as chief guests.

The interviewers asked them about their monthly income. When told that they are social workers and take Rs 2,000 per month from the Amtes8217; tribal health hospital at Hemalkasa, the interviewers decided to deny them visa on the ground of being economically weak.