India does a U-turn, withdraws visa to Dolkun Isa after China protests

Isa’s visit was being seen as a retaliatory measure taken by India after China blocked its bid at UN to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar.

India has cancelled the visa given to a leading Chinese dissident to participate in a conference in Dharamsala, apparently after China objected to it.

-"We have cancelled the visa given to Dolkun Isa,-" a Home Ministry spokesperson today said without elaborating further. Isa, a leader of World Uyghur Congress (WUC), who lives in Germany, had been invited for the conference being organised by US-based 'Initiatives for China'.

Reacting to the Indian move, Isa said, -"On April 23, I got a very short note by the Indian side that my visa is cancelled. There was no explanation.-"

He said he did not know what exactly was the reason for it. -"May be because of Chinese pressure put on the Indian government. But, I do not know...I did not get any explanation from the Indian side,-" he said.

India's decision last week to allow WUC leaders whom China regards as backers of terrorism in its volatile Muslim-dominated Xinjiang province had come in the backdrop of Beijing blocking India's bid to get Pathankot terror attack mastermind Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN.

China's unhappiness about reports that Isa has been given the visa was reflected in Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying saying, -"What I want to point out is that Dolkun is a terrorist in red notice of the Interpol and Chinese police. Bringing him to justice is due obligation of relevant countries.-"