Swaraj seeks answers to questions raised by immigrations apathy
Red tape above all else: A Dutch student loses her arm in mishap; she is barred from flying back home for treatment due to unfinished FRRO formalities.
Hours after this paper reported how a Dutch student with a severed arm was forbidden from flying back to theNetherlands since she couldn’t register with the foreign office here due to a life-threatening accident, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj intervened on Saturday, asking for a status report on the incident brought about by the tyrannical apathy of the authorities at the city airport.
By the time Swaraj reacted to the Mirror story with the tweet: “I am asking for a report,” the authorities had allowed the student to fly home in the small hours of Saturday.
Hyderabad University , was barred from boarding a flight to her homeland by an immigration officer at Mumbai airport, since the FRRO or the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) did not have her documentation. Fisser had not been able to secure this end of the red tape tightly because on September 2, when she was on her way to the city from Hyderabad for the registration, her bus met with an accident near Solapur , crushing her left arm. It had to be amputated above the elbow right away, after which her family back in the Netherlands insisted that she return home for proper treatment. That is what she intended to do on Wednesday.
But her severed arm failed to constitute grounds strong enough to get her an exemption from the reel of red tape which, as far as the immigration officer is concerned, must be complied with, come hell or high water. The actions raise questions if the “human touch” promises of the external affairs ministry are just the twittering of politicians.
While officials at the ministry could not be reached for comment on a Saturday, the Dutch consulate in Mumbai said it will cooperate with the ministry’s probe into the case. “We have noted the minister’s intention to investigate and we will fully comply with the probe. We regret that an exemption was not granted to the woman on compassionate grounds,” said Arend Gouw, consul of the Netherlands in Mumbai.
As reported yesterday, the immigration officer who held Fisser back from boarding also refused to meet with the Dutch diplomat who wanted to present her case to him in person.
Every foreign national staying in the country to study or work is required to register at FRRO — a regulation that does not apply to tourists. But a formerAir India officer told this paper that FRRO procedures are not insisted upon in case of emergencies, if the foreign national in question is from a country that has friendly relations with India.
The incident hasn’t dented the young woman’s resolve to return to the country. Gouw said that before leaving for home, Fisser assured him she’d be back to the country soon. “She has told us that she will return to India soon. She loves this country,” he said.
Hours after this paper reported how a Dutch student with a severed arm was forbidden from flying back to the
By the time Swaraj reacted to the Mirror story with the tweet: “I am asking for a report,” the authorities had allowed the student to fly home in the small hours of Saturday.
On Wednesday, 23-year-old Lichelle Fisser, who is studying South Asian Affairs at
But her severed arm failed to constitute grounds strong enough to get her an exemption from the reel of red tape which, as far as the immigration officer is concerned, must be complied with, come hell or high water. The actions raise questions if the “human touch” promises of the external affairs ministry are just the twittering of politicians.
While officials at the ministry could not be reached for comment on a Saturday, the Dutch consulate in Mumbai said it will cooperate with the ministry’s probe into the case. “We have noted the minister’s intention to investigate and we will fully comply with the probe. We regret that an exemption was not granted to the woman on compassionate grounds,” said Arend Gouw, consul of the Netherlands in Mumbai.
As reported yesterday, the immigration officer who held Fisser back from boarding also refused to meet with the Dutch diplomat who wanted to present her case to him in person.
Every foreign national staying in the country to study or work is required to register at FRRO — a regulation that does not apply to tourists. But a former
The incident hasn’t dented the young woman’s resolve to return to the country. Gouw said that before leaving for home, Fisser assured him she’d be back to the country soon. “She has told us that she will return to India soon. She loves this country,” he said.
