Baptist leader denied visa, govt asks consulate in S Africa to

Global Baptist body chief Paul Msiza, who was scheduled to attend a programme in Meghalaya, has been denied a visa with a church leader claiming this has "upset" the Christians in the poll-bound state.
The government went into damage control mode asking the Indian consulate in South Africa to reconsider his visa application.
As president of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), Msiza is the pastoral head of the Baptists community worldwide like the Pope of the Catholics, and he was invited to attend the church programme in Meghalaya, a Baptist leader said here.
Msiza was scheduled to attend the 150th years celebrations of the Baptist Church at Rajasimila in East Garo Hills district beginning today.

His visa application was submitted on January 29 and he was informed about its rejection last night, general secretary of the Garo Baptist Convention Rev J R Sangma said.
Meanwhile, Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons today said here that the Indian consulate in South Africa has been asked to reconsider the visa application.

"The External Affairs Minister (Sushma Swaraj) has asked the high commission at Johannesburg to reconsider it (visa application of Paul Msiza)," Alphons, who was here for a party function, told reporters.
Swaraj had spoken to the consul general about it and a meeting to reconsider the visa application will be held, he said.

The Garo Baptist Convention, a Christian denomination in Meghalaya, has over 2.6 lakh baptised adults in 2013, according to the Church census.
"The Baptist Christians are very upset about the rejection of his visa," Sangma told PTI.
Alphons claimed none of the Baptist leaders whom he knows in Meghalaya informed him of the visit of the BWA president.
"He deserves to be especially looked into as the leader of a community. This is exactly what the External Affairs Minister has done," he said.
Earlier in the day, the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee condemned the BJP led NDA government at the Centre over the rejection of the Christian missionary's visa.

"This matter cannot be seen in isolation as that of just a visa denial. It very well exposes the mindset of the present dispensation, the BJP and their masters in Nagpur," Congress MP Vincent H Pala told reporters.
On this allegation, Alphons said the US and the European Schengen reject about 50 per cent of visa applications of highly-qualified people from across the world.
"Can you say they are against anti-Christians," he asked.
National Peoples Party president Conrad K Sangma who visited the programme site at Rajasimila, said he had also written to Sushma Swaraj seeking her intervention in the matter.