China stapled visa row: Tharoor wants India to do the same to Tibetans

Amid a row over China issuing stapled visas to a few sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday (July 28) said India should simply start issuing stapled visas to anyone applying for an Indian visa from Tibet.

India on Thursday described as “unacceptable” China issuing stapled visas to a few sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that it reserves the right to “suitably respond” to such actions.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has lodged its “strong protest” with the Chinese side on the matter and there should be no discrimination on the basis of domicile or ethnicity in the visa regime for Indian citizens.

Also read: “Unacceptable,” says India after China issues stapled visas to Arunachal players

Tagging a media report on China issuing stapled visas to some Indian sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh, Tharoor tweeted, “Enough is enough. Instead of frustrating our sportsmen and 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,” the former minister of state for external affairs said.

People familiar with the matter said the visit of a 12-member team of Wushu players to Chinas Chengdu to compete at the World University Games was called off on Wednesday night as three players from Arunachal Pradesh in the group were given stapled visas.

Also read: Arunachal Pradesh part of India, not China: US Senate panel

The decision to put on hold the team’s travel was taken after the government examined the matter.

In the past too, there were instances of China issuing stapled visas to Indians from Arunachal Pradesh that drew sharp reactions from New Delhi.

In April, India outrightly rejected China’s renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the state is an integral part of India and assigning “invented” names does not alter this reality.