Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Shahnawaz Hussain,BJPs prominent Muslim face and MP,has failed to get a US visa on time for attending a UN General Assembly session as part of a parliamentary delegation. Hussain was to accompany Congress MPs Girija Vyas and Sanjay Nirupam,JD (U)s Ali Anwar and DMKs T K S Elangovan as part of the Indian delegation to attend the 64th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session being held from October 20 to 31.
Hussain told The Indian Express: Our passports were given to the embassy authorities by the MEA. Other MPs got their visas before Diwali. One of the MPs (T K S Elangovan) gave his passport at a later date,but was still able to get his visa in time. I want to know the administrative issues that delayed my visa.
MEA sources,however,said that Hussain had not been denied a visa and that they were in touch with the US embassy over the matter. A US embassy spokesperson,refusing to be identified,said: We dont comment on individual visa cases.
When asked whether he had been a victim of religious profiling,Hussain said he had been told by officials in the MEA that some popular names underwent scrutiny in the US for a visa. He said it was for India to take up the issue with the US as he was part of an official delegation. He is learnt to have taken up the matter with BJP leadership. PTI
