External affairs minister SM Krishna also appealed to the media "not to blow it (the issue) out of proportion. We have made our position crystal clear to the Canadian authorities".
Sending a stern message, external affairs minister SM Krishna today termed as "entirely unacceptable" the reasons cited for denial of visa by Canada to several serving and retired Indian military and intelligence personnel and asked it to address the situation "appropriately".
"We have conveyed to the Canadian government that the letter issued by the Canadian High Commission to serving or retired officials of our security forces and agencies who had applied for Canadian visa are entirely unacceptable," external affairs minister SM Krishna told reporters here.
"India is a democracy. As institutions function under the Constitution of India, we are proud of our security forces and agencies and the services they render to the nation," he said.
Making it clear that India wanted early action, he said, "We expect the Canadian authorities to address the situation appropriately".
The Canadian High Commission in Delhi, over the last few years, has denied visas to a number of senior serving and retired officials of the armed forces and intelligence establishment, claiming that their organisations or they themselves have served in sensitive areas like Jammu and Kashmir and engaged in violence and human rights violations.
Home secretary GK Pillai has written a strongly-worded letter to foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, insisting that the MEA should act tough and seek apology from the High Commission and withdrawal of the officials who made the adverse comments against the security forces, sources said.
Asked what was the next step that India contemplated, Krishna said, "Let us wait for the Canadian authorities to address it".
"The high commissioner of Canada has been called twice by the Secretaries of the External Affairs Ministry," he said.
Krishna also appealed to the media "not to blow it (the issue) out of proportion. We have made our position crystal clear to the Canadian authorities".
He sidestepped a question on the Pakistan Supreme Court upholding the release from house arrest of Lashker-e-Toiba founder and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafeez Saeed.
"I have not seen the full report. Only after going through the report will I be in a position to comment," he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}