1.@SushmaSwaraj ji, I was to be in London for some lectures starting 20th June but strangely #BritishVisa still stuck.I just discovered that British Govt has frozen all visa applications due 2 some khit-pit between GOI & Britain. Indian citizens shd hv been forewarned not 2 apply
2. I wasted nearly Rs 10,000 on #BritishVisa application incldg Rs 1400 for getting SMS when visa cleared. But British High Commission not processing any Indian visas. Why couldn't Indian govt warn its citizens not to waste money applying right now since Brits have frozen visas?
3.The least British High Commission owes me refund of my application money since they accepted money under false pretense.Till date they have not even informed me about fate of my application. Nor returned my passport. Four years of Hugplomacy & this is what we get @SushmaSwaraj?
4. Sad part is that the British University which invited me for Keynote address sent several letters & even made phone calls to British High Commission in Delhi for clearance of my visa. Even they were not given honest answer. Vijay Mallyas never face any such difficulties
Got a call from British High Commission clarifying at length that visas 4 Indians have not been frozen. This is peak season, hence delays. Had I known,I'd have paid extra and gotten "priority visa".They expressed concern that Indo-British relations not be perceived as "strained".
2.Message for the British Commission from NRI friends in London "It isn't just Madhu Kishwar's visa that came 2 days after the conference she was to address. Visa for documentary film makers also came through day after House of Commons presentation on human rights in Pakistan.
3. "That program too was ruined... A free trade agreement between India and U.K. is not a good idea. This is not a country with which business can be conducted if travel is difficult. India has been the largest or second largest investor in London in recent years...."
4. Incidentally I was expected to chair the meeting organised by NRI groups in London in the House of Commons on human rights in Pakistan where an important report was to be released. All of this stymied
