BJD MP hits out at government for revoking Chinese dissident's visa

NEW DELHI: BJD member Tathagata Satpathy today used a discussion in the Lok Sabha to hit out at the government for revoking the visa given to a Chinese dissident and said it should have the courage to stand by its decision.

He said there was no difference between the UPA government and the NDA dispensation as both toed the US line, prompting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to remark that "there is a difference".

"I thought this government had the gumption, the strength to stand up to bully that China has evolved into... Lo and behold, they revoked it. It's a shame," he said, referring to the government's decision to revoke dissident Dolkun Isa's visa after granting it.

The senior BJD leader said the government should have either not given him the visa and if it did give, then "it should have the courage to stand by it".

He said governments were not taking cognizance of what was required on the ground and there was no difference between the UPA and NDA governments as the former "bowed down" to the US and the latter is "kneeling down".

At this, Gandhi was heard saying, "There is a difference."

Satpathy was speaking on the Regional Biotech Centre Bill during which he also said that there was no connect between output of such stand alone, isolated centres and the need on the ground.

Some of the top scientists in the world are Indians but they have done research in the US, the UK and other countries except India, he said.

Hukum Singh (BJP) said there is a need to balance the promotion of biotechnology and the quality of food products brought out with its help.