[Reader-list] BSF involved in Kashmir violence: Canada

[Wali Arifi]

BSF involved in Kashmir violence: Canada
India Upset

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, May 21: In a startling diplomatic attack, the Canadian High
Commission here has dubbed BSF as a “notoriously violent force”
engaged in “systematic torture in Kashmir”, prompting India to join
issues with that country.
The High Commission, while denying visa to one Fateh Singh Pandher, a
retired constable of BSF, has written to him that his status was
“inadmissible” as he had served in a force that engaged in “systematic
attacks on civilians in Kashmir”. In his strongly-worded response to
Pandher’s visa application, a First Secretary with the
Canadian High Commission here has said BSF was a “notoriously violent
force”, which was responsible for “systematic attacks on civilians”
and “systematic torture of the suspected criminals”.
 The High Commission official has suggested to Pandher that he should
have dissociated from the force to qualify for the visa.
 When contacted, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash
said, “the matter has come to the attention of MEA and it has been
appropriately taken up with the Canadian side.”
 Pandher, who got the response in December last year, approached BSF,
which wrote to the Home Ministry, which in turn informed the MEA.
 “The MHA received a representation from the BSF. We have sent that
representation along with our views to the MEA for further action,” a
Home Ministry spokesman said.
 Pandher said during his visa interview at the High Commission he had
told the Canadian officials that if anybody in BSF does any wrong, he
is punished.
 There was no reaction from the Canadian High Commission.
 The revelation crucially came just ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh’s visit to Canada next month to attend the G-20 Summit in
Toronto.