Tiananmen activist Lu Jinghua alleges 'India-China economic business deal' behind visa cancellation

New Delhi: Chinese activist Lu Jinghua, who was denied visa by New Delhi, has now claimed that an alleged 'economic business' deal between the countries could be the main reason for India's denial of visa to her.

Jinghua was about to board a flight to New Delhi at New York's JFK airport on Monday when she was told by the Indian authorities that her visa had been cancelled.

The Tiananmen activist also claimed that India is the first country to deny her visa after China.

 

 

"I 100 per cent believe it's the Chinese government's pressure on India. I think China has given an economic business deal to India in exchange," Jinghua was quoted as saying by NDTV.

The 55-year-old activist also stated that the denial of visa to "seven activists" implied a "change in the Sino-India ties."

Lu Jinghua, a leader of the Tiananmen Square student protests, posses an American passport and says she has never been denied visa by any other country.

The Centre, however, clarified that she hadn't been issued a visa at all as her documents were "illegible" and revealed inconsistencies with the stated purpose of her visit.

This was countered by Jinghua, who said, "Wrong application is a lie. I followed all directions. I was not given any reason."

The activist says she tried to contact the Indian Consulate and visa office but they did not respond and phone calls on the number provided on the visa application went to voice-mail.

Besides Jinghua, India has refused visas to two other activists who were due to attend an inter-faith conference this weekend in the hill town of Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

She further alleged that it was done under pressure from China as "it fears the rising power of the new prime minister of Tibet-in-exile, Lobsang Sangay."

The Dharamsala conference, which began yesterday and  ends on Sunday, is aimed at exchanging ideas among different ethnic and religious communities.