Burney says Indian Home Ministry's apology in 'bad state'(Update-Burney)
31 May 2008, 2252 Hrs

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London, May 31 (ANI): Former Pakistan Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney has reacted sharply to the Indian Home Ministry's proffered apology over his deportation from India on Friday.

Describing the ministry's statement as being in 'bad taste', Burney said: "India should have come out with the truth".

"I was deported and even made to sign papers regarding this. This is not fair. At least, the government (of India) should have come out with the truth now," Burney said over phone from London.

His reaction came moments after the Indian Home Ministry issued a vague two-paragraph statement that claimed that Burney was "denied entry, and not deported" on account of "inadequate documentation".

"The statement is in bad taste. Whatever has happened has happened. Now, the government should have come out with the actual picture," he said.

"These were the very same documents that took me to India only six weeks back," Burney said, adding that he had no plans to visit India as of now.

He said a Joint Secretary from the Ministry of External Affairs had called him up in London to express regrets about the incident and also invited him to come to India anytime.

The Home Ministry also said on Saturday that he was always welcome to visit India.

The Ministry regretted the "inconvenience" caused to him, saying it was "unfortunate and regrettable".

This flies in the face of Burney's comments from London that he was asked to sign deportation papers and "hurriedly packed" into the Emirate Airlines flight which took him back to Dubai.he deportation of Ansar Burney from India could delay the release of Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh in Lahore, Singh's sister Dalbir Kaur said, and asked the Indian politicians not to play 'dirty politics'. I was taken aback when I learnt that our government has deported Burney back from the Indira Gandhi International Airport by an Emirates Airways flight because of a 'look-out' notice against him," she said. aur said: "It could have serious repercussions on Sarabjit Singh's safe return from Pakistan and our Indian bureaucrats and politicians should understand the plight of the family of Sarabjit Singh". (ANI)