SHILLONG: Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Minister and BJP leader AL Hek has apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the problems relating to visa being faced by the Christian Missionaries and others in India, especially those who are undergoing treatment in hospitals.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Hek lamented that there have been many instances where there is a delay in renewal of visa due to which many of the Christian Missionaries have faced hardship and inconvenience.
Hek narrated the plight of Fr. Fernando Fernandez Franco, a member of the Society of Jesus, working in St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Ahmedabad.
Fr. France from Spain was supposed to undergo a surgery in SAL Hospital in the city on September 19.
“His surgery was cancelled at the last hour since his visa was not renewed. This was despite the fact that he had applied for renewal of his visa on June 28, 2018,” Hek said in his letter to the PM.
Hek stated that similar problems were being faced by other patients who come for treatment to India from abroad.
Such cases especially health related must be treated on humanitarian grounds and the visa renewal process should either be expedited or there should be a mechanism for automatic extension of visa while they are admitted in Hospital or during the course of treatment.
“I request your office to kindly intervene and to direct the concerned ministries to expedite the clearance of visa in such cases so that foreigners working in India and those who come from abroad for treatment do not have endure more suffering,’ Hek added.
