(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

It has been reported that Shambhavi Adhikari, a citizen of Nepal heading to Berlin was stopped at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) and was sent back to Kathmandu. The incident has been wrongly portrayed as bias / discrimination against Nepali citizens, said a release from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

MHA Clarifies: Airline, Not Immigration, Made the Call

As per the release, "It is to clarify that the Indian immigration authorities have no role to play in this entire episode. The said passenger arrived from Kathmandu by Air India and was transiting through Delhi. She was stopped while boarding the connecting flight of Qatar Airways. It was the airlines which decided not to let her undertake her onward travel to Germany, considering her visa validity, and flew her back to Kathmandu. This is usually undertaken in accordance with the destination country's rules / requirements. She then rescheduled her travel dates and later travelled, taking another route from Kathmandu."

Transit Passengers and Airline Responsibility

International transit passengers are not required to approach Indian Immigration for their onward journey, and this is a matter between the airlines and the passenger, with absolutely no role for Indian immigration authorities.

India Reaffirms Strong Ties with Nepal

India values its strong relationship with Nepal and reassures that no Indian authority has any bias or discrimination against citizens of Nepal. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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