Ottawa/New Delhi:
Canada has expressed "deep regret" over the language used by its officials in the visa rejection letters to some officials of the Indian defence and security institutions.
"The Government of Canada deeply regrets the recent incident in which letters drafted by public service officials during routine visa refusals to Indian nationals cast false aspersions on the legitimacy of work carried out by Indian defence and security institutions, which operate under the framework of democratic processes and the rule of law," a statement from Canada's Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said.
"Canada has the highest regard for India, its government institutions and processes," it added. (Read: Canada's Immigration Minister on visa row)
Taking a tough line, India had termed as "unacceptable" the denunciation of its security forces and intelligence establishment by Canada.
"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 S M Krishna told reporters in Bangalore on Thursday.
The Indian government is already furious over the repeated denial of visas to Indian officers. The Ministry of Home Affairs has already given Canada a week to respond and take corrective action.
"The Government of Canada deeply regrets the recent incident in which letters drafted by public service officials during routine visa refusals to Indian nationals cast false aspersions on the legitimacy of work carried out by Indian defence and security institutions, which operate under the framework of democratic processes and the rule of law," a statement from Canada's Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said.
"Canada has the highest regard for India, its government institutions and processes," it added. (Read: Canada's Immigration Minister on visa row)
Taking a tough line, India had termed as "unacceptable" the denunciation of its security forces and intelligence establishment by Canada.
"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 S M Krishna told reporters in Bangalore on Thursday.
The Indian government is already furious over the repeated denial of visas to Indian officers. The Ministry of Home Affairs has already given Canada a week to respond and take corrective action.
