There cannot be double treatment with regard to visa issuance to Indian citizens: Kiren Rijiju

By: Vangamla Salle K S New Delhi [India], Nov.19 (ANI): India has taken up the issue of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi denying a visa to Arunachal Pradesh State Badminton Association secretary Bamang Tago, who was nominated manager of the Indian badminton team for the ongoing Thaihot China Open championship 2016 in Fuzhou. Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the Chindang-cum-Nyethridow Festival in New Delhi, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju informed that the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi said it had not received such a visa application. The matter has been escalated to the level of foreign ministry officials to get the matter checked. "I have told the foreign ministry officials to get the matter checked. The Chinese embassy is denying that they have received such a visa application. We will verify it. We are taking it up strongly. There cannot be double treatment or double standard with regards to any matter related to visa issuance to Indian citizens," said Rijiju. "The messages have been conveyed from the Ministry Of External Affairs that the Chinese embassy should not treat at different level with regard to status of Indian citizens," Rijiju added. While the Indian shuttlers completed their first-round matches on Wednesday, Bamang Tago was running from pillar to post for a visa and met Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday. Tago was to lead a team of 14, including players and officials, at the Thaihot China Open 2016 from November 15. The Thaihot China Open is among the super series calendar events of the Badminton World Federation. The team was invited by the Fuzhou Municipal Sports Bureau. Territorial dispute between India and China over Arunachal Pradesh has cast a shadow on the people of the state which the Chinese claim Arunachal Pradesh as a part southern Tibet. (ANI)