Shashi Tharoor, minister of state for external affairs, known for his frequent tweets, on Sunday tweeted against his own government’s decision to tighten visa rules.
The home ministry had issued a directive last week that those visiting India on long-term multi-entry tourist visas must henceforth maintain a two-month gap between one departure and the following entry into the country. The directive followed the revelation that David Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, arrested in the US for their terror links, repeatedly visited Mumbai and other Indian cities on tourist visas before the 26/11 attack last year.
Tharoor’s tweet, however, maintained the new restriction would discourage “tourism and goodwill”. He tweeted: “Dilemma of our age: tough visa restrictions in hope of btr (better) security or openness & (and) liberality to encourage tourism & goodwill? I prefer latter.”
He went on to note that “the 26/11 killers had no visas”, adding that his ministry had objected to the step and discussions with the home ministry were on.