90-year-old woman files petition in HC seeking visa for son

A 90-year-old woman today filed a writpetition in the Madras High Court seeking a direction toauthorities to grant visa to her son, an Indian immigrant inthe US, to enable him visit India.In her petition, Pappammal said her son Muthuvel Chelliahwas born in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu.

He was working as a Physical Scientist at the ClimatePrediction Centre of the National Weather Service in the US.

When he visited India in 1997 he addressed several publicmeetings including one at the Bangalore Tamil Sangam on theplight of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Her son had never spokenanything against the country or any political leader, thepetitioner said.

She did not know why the 10-year visa issued to him in2002 was cancelled and refused and what charges were pendingagainst her son, she said.

Even her son had no knowledge about it (charges).

The petitioner said she was quite desperate to see her sonas she had already reached the age of 90. Her son had againapplied for visa in September 2010 to the Indian Embassy.

But it was still pending as the Indian authorities had nottaken steps to give clearance to their counterparts in the USbecause of the misunderstanding of the facts about him, thepetitioner alleged.

She sought a direction to authorities to consider herrepresentation of October 2010 on his visa application.

When the matter came up, Justice P.Jyothimani askedcounsel for the Union government to get instructions on thecase and adjourned the matter to February 7.