US Issues Visa to Shahnawaz after PM Intervens

Following personal intervention by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the US embassy has issued a visa to BJP’s Muslim MP Syed Shahnawaz Hussain to leave for New York for attending a UN General Assembly session. Four of his colleagues have already flown to the US.

After delay by US officials in issuing visa to Hussain, he could not join the Parliamentary delegation, which left for the US on Monday night.

The BJP MP was quoted as saying by IANS that the visa issue was raised by senior party leader LK Advani with Prime Minister.

“Advani took up the matter with the PM yesterday (Monday), and asked the Prime Minister to seriously intervene in the matter. The PM assured that he will ensure a visa to me,” Hussain said. “After the PM’s intervention, the US embassy immediately issued the visa.”

“I will leave for the US today (Tuesday),” Hussain said, adding, “I don’t know the reason for the delay in issing the visa.”

According to some reports, delay in issuing visa to Hussain occurred most probably due to religious profiling.

It may be mentioned that Hussain is one of the five MPs to attend the UN General Assembly programme from October 20 to 31 in New York.

Congress MPs Girja Vyas, Sanjay Nirupam, Janata Dal-United MP Ali Anwar and DMK’s T KS Elangovan are the other members of the non-official delegation attending the UN programme.

On Monday, Hussain said the External Affairs Ministry had applied for the visas. However, he was the only MP who was told that there would be a delay in issuing his visa.