Cong leader Singhvi backs govt on British MP's deportation, says she is 'Pak proxy'

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Tuesday backed the government's decision to deport British lawmaker Debbie Abrahams, saying she was not just an MP, but a "Pakistan proxy".

The Congress party has, however, not come out with any official stand on the issue and instead, asked the government to spell out the reasons for denying the British MP entry into India.

Abrahams, who chairs a British parliamentary group on Kashmir, was denied entry into India upon her arrival at the New Delhi airport on Monday, with officials saying she was informed in advance that her e-visa was cancelled.

"The deportation of Debbie Abrahams by India was indeed necessary, as she is not just an MP, but a Pak proxy known for her clasp with Pak govt and ISI. Every attempt that tries to attack India's sovereignty must be thwarted," Singhvi said in a tweet.

His party colleague Shashi Tharoor had, however, tweeted in support of Abrahams on Monday.

"I find it ironic that some of the same people who applauded me for going to Britain as an Indian MP & telling them off about their colonial misbehaviour, are attacking me for wanting India to grant a British MP the same privilege! If we can dish it out, we shld be able to take it," Tharoor had written on Twitter.

Asked about the reaction of the Congress on the issue of denial of visa to Abrahams, party spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said the government should spell out the reasons for denying her entry into the country and justify its action.

"I think the government should say what were the reasons for denying her entry and also if there was really some threat that she was bringing to India. If they can give some justification, only then I think it will be appropriate to comment on whether it was justified or not," he told reporters.