http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...urist-visa-guidelines/articleshow/5664671.cms
NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday said it was ready to revisit the new guidelines issued for granting tourist and conference visas if there were genuine grievances.
Union home secretary G K Pillai said the government has received a number representations requesting it to reconsider the revised guidelines.
"Government makes rules, government makes regulations which may not be correct. But in a democracy there is a system, we correct ourselves if a mistake is made. If error is made, we correct them," Pillai was quoted as saying by a news agency. He was addressing a seminar on "Thought Policing or Fighting Terror: Home Ministry's Curbs on Foreign Scholars".
Pillai told reporters later, "We have received a number of representations (on conference visa) and we are examining them. This is under consideration."
According to the revised guidelines for conference visas, prior security clearance from the home ministry is required in respect of participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Sudan, foreigners of Pakistani origin and stateless persons.
Referring to restrictions imposed on issuing tourist visa, Pillai said the government was open to amend any rules if there was any "mistake".
He, however, wondered how many of the six million genuine tourists, who visit India every year, would like to come back to India within 60 days.
"Six million tourists come and go. How many of them come within 60 days? Possibly not even 0.1% of the total number," he said.
The recent guidelines on tourist visas stipulate a gap of at least two months between two visits to India.
Pillai said the government was ready to examine if any genuine tourist is harassed following the new guidelines. "If the problem is of that 0.1%, we are ready to see how best that can be corrected. Government is willing to see how best the problem of that 0.1% people is solved. But no decision can satisfy all people," he said.