Entry denial to retired police officer: India takes up matter with Canada

New Delhi, May 23
India on Tuesday took up with Canada the matter of denial of entry to a retired Indian police officer on the ground that the Indian government engages in "terrorism, systematic or gross human rights violations, or genocide".

"We have seen the news report regarding denial of entry by Canadian authorities to a senior retired Indian police officer," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in response to a question.

"Such a characterisation of a reputed force like the CRPF is completely unacceptable," he said.

"We have taken up the matter with the Government of Canada."

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, Tejinder Singh Dhillon, who retired with the rank of inspector general of police from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in 2010, was declared inadmissible under a subsection of Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The report cited a document given to Dhillon at the airport that stated he was a "prescribed senior official in the service of a government that, in the opinion of the Minister, engages or has engaged in terrorism, systematic or gross human rights violations, or genocide, a war crime or a crime against humanity".

This is the latest incident that has put India-Canada bilateral relations under a lot of stress.

Last month the Ontario Assembly in Canada passed a motion that recognises the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India that killed over 2,500 people, as genocide.

The motion, which was passed 35 to 5 on April 6, was moved by Harinder Malhi, an MP of Indian origin from Brampton-Springdale district.