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On China staple visa, Tharoor says: ‘Instead of frustrating our sportsmen…'
India should start issuing stapled visas to anyone applying for an Indian visa from Tibet, Shashi Tharoor said.
Amid a fresh India-China diplomatic faceoff over China giving stapled visas to three Arunachal Pradesh players, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said India should do the same to anyone applying for an Indian visa from Tibet. "Enough is enough," the Thiruvananthapuram MP tweeted as New Delhi lodged a strong protest and said issuing stapled visas to Arunachal players is unacceptable.
"Enough is enough. Instead of frustrating our sportsmen & every other Arunachali seeking a Chinese visa, we should simply start issuing stapled visas ourselves, to anyone applying for an Indian visa from Tibet. And say we will continue to do so until the disputed border between Tibet and India is settled," Shashi Tharoor said.
Stapled visas denote that China does not recognise India's sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh. "India reserves the right to suitably respond to such actions," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
Nyeman Wangsu, Onilu Tega and Mepung Lamgu -- three women players of the national wushu team, which was to depart for China's Chengdu to compete in the World University Games (July 28 to August 8), were issued stapled visas. The government put off the departure of the team, pulling out of the World University Games.
What is a stapled visa? Why China issues these visas to people from Arunachal and J&K
Stapled visas are not regular visas and they denote that China does not recognise Arunachal and J&K as part of India. China started issuing these visas to Arunachal residents in the mid-2000s. In 2009, it started issuing stapled visas to residents of J&K.
In April this year, China renamed 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh for the third time -- after 2017 and 2021. India rejected the renaming and said renaming does not alter the fact that Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will remain an integral part of India.
