The Khalsa Diwan Society, Vancouver, along with other Sikh societies of British Columbia, has written to the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. S. Jaishankar, regarding the changes made by the Government of India in the visa application and approval process for citizens of Canada.
The letter states that there is a ban on issuing visas to Canadian citizens for travel to India. It is inconvenient for Canadian citizens to travel to India during the peak tourist season. Many businesses in Punjab depend on the arrival of tourists during the winter. There are also people who have planned to get married in India and have already paid for these arrangements, but are unable to travel to India because they do not have a visa.
The society has urged the minister to restart the visa process. Supporting the society’s demand, Aam Aadmi Party MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney said that the Ministry of External Affairs should resume the visa process as the current situation is causing hardship to the diaspora who need to visit their families for urgent matters. Sahney added: “It is imperative that our gurdwaras are more outspoken in condemning hatred and embracing their Indian heritage where our great gurus spread messages of love and compassion.
