India issues visa to Uyghur 'terrorist' Dolkun Isa; China angry

WUC leaders will attend a conference on democracy and China in Dharamsala during their visit.

Image courtesy: @Dolkun_Isa/ Twitter

New Delhi/Beijing: India's move to grant visa to World Uyghur Congress (WUC) leader Dolkun Isa for a visit to the country has irked China.

China, which considers WUC leaders as supporters of terrorism in its volatile Muslim-dominated Xinjiang province, has stated that Dolkun is a “terrorist” on Interpol’s Red Corner.

It is the obligation of all countries to bring him to justice, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told India's PTI news agency.

“I am not aware of the situation,” the spokesperson said in a written response when asked about reports that WUC leaders including Dolkun, who is based in Germany, were given permission to meet the Dalai Lama in Himachal Pradesh later this month.

WUC leaders will also attend a conference on democracy and China in Dharamsala during their visit.

“What I want to point out is that Dolkun is a terrorist in red notice of the Interpol and Chinese police. Bringing him to justice is due obligation of relevant countries,” Hua added.

New Delhi's decision to allow WUC leaders to visit India is being seen as a response to China's move to block a ban on Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar at the United Nations.

Xinjiang, which has over 10 million Uyghur population of Turkik-origin Muslims, has been on the boil for several years over Uyghur protests against the large-scale settlements of Han Chinese from different parts of the country.

China blames East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a militant Islamist group, for terrorist attacks in Xinjiang and other parts of the country.