Shahnawaz Hussain's US visa delayed

NEW DELHI: Shahnawaz Hussain, BJP's prominent Muslim face and MP, has failed to get US visa on time for attending a UN General Assembly session as part of a parliamentary delegation, a delay which has again raised questions whether he was a victim of religious profiling.
"I was one of the five MPs who were to attend a UN General Assembly programme from October 20 to 31.Our Ministry of External Affairs had applied for the visas. While the other four have got their visas and are leaving tonight, I have been told there will be a delay due to administrative processing," the former union minister said.
Girja Vyas, Sanjay Nirupam (both Congress), Ali Anwar (JD-U) and T K S Elangovan (DMK) are the other members of this "non-official" delegation of MPs going to New York.
"I am still waiting for my visa. Since the Ministry of External Affairs has applied for this visa and it's a normal diplomatic procedure, I don't understand why it should take so much time," he said.
Hussain, who had visited US thrice in the past, was asked whether he has been denied visa because of his religion.
He felt it would not have been the case but said he had been told by officials in the ministry of external affairs that some popular names undergo a detailed scrutiny in the US before visa is given.
He said it was for the government of India to take up the issue with the US as he was a member of an official delegation and was not going on a personal trip.
"I have visited New York during all my three visits to the US. First when I was in the union coal ministry, then as the union civil aviation minister and lastly as textile minister," Hussain said.
"If four people of the delegation got the visa and only I did not get it, I must know the reasons for the delay," the BJP MP said.
Cases of denial or delay in US visa to some Muslims have come to light earlier also.
About two months back, filmstar Shah Rukh Khan had to face embarrasment during a visit to the US when he was detained and questioned for hours after his name 'Khan' popped up in the computer of an immigration official.
His release was secured after intervention by Indian mission.