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British MP knew he would be denied entry: MEA (Lead)
New Delhi, July 12 (IANS) The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday said that it had informed Lord Alexander Carlile, the British MP and member of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s legal team, in advance that he would be denied entry into India.
Briefing the media here, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that Lord Carlile held a business visa whereas his intention was to hold a press conference.
“He did not have an appropriate visa and there was a discrepancy in his visa application form and the purpose for which he wanted to visit India,” Kumar said.
“We informed him in advance that your visa is not valid. So, he came with a return boarding pass.”
According to Kumar, Lord Carlile’s return boarding pass was for a British Airways that was to depart two hours after he landed here.
On Wednesday night soon after the incident, the spokesperson said that Lord Carlile’s “intended activity in India was incompatible with the purpose of his visit as mentioned in his visa application”.
“It was therefore decided to deny him entry into India upon arrival.”
Lord Carlile was scheduled to address the media in New Delhi on Thursday.
According to the Dhaka Tribune, he wanted to “explain the complexities of Khaleda Zia’s case to the international media community”.
A high-profile lawyer who held several judicial roles, Lord Carlile was taken into Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia’s legal team in March.
Khaleda has several criminal cases filed against her that the BNP claims are part of a plot to keep her and her family out of politics.
She was convicted in the first case in February. She was sentenced to five years for stealing $ 253,000 in foreign donations received by an orphanage trust set up when she was last prime minister, from 2001 to 2006.
Stating that the motivation of Lord Carlile’s visit to India was suspect, Kumar said: “Now, the only thing that I can figure out is that, one, he was trying to create some kind of a problem between India and Bangladesh, our relationship. And second is also to create some sort of a misunderstanding between India and the opposition party in Bangladesh.”
That India’s engagement with the opposition parties in Bangladesh is very clear can be seen from the fact that whenever Indian dignitaries visit the eastern neighbour, meetings are also held with these parties, Kumar said.
“When the Prime Minister visits, we do have meetings with them. When the External Affairs Minister visits, again we have the same set of meetings. We do engage with all the sections of the Bangladeshi political spectrum.”
Kumar said that if Lord Carlile had to say something he could have done so from London instead of from Indian soil.
“If he is coming to India, he has to respect the laws of the land. And that is true for any other country,” he said.
“If we visit a country, we should have an appropriate visa and we should go for the intention which we have declared in the application form.”
Stating that the right to grant visa is the sole prerogative of the country concerned, the spokesperson said that applying for a visa does not necessarily mean that a person will get it.
“Does a business visa constitute coming here and addressing a press conference,” Kumar asked.
–IANS
ab/sed
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.