Indian Origin Prof Nitasha Kaul invited by K’taka govt denied entry to India
detained and deported to London
On Sunday, she took to social media platform X to share her ordeal and said that after she was detained at the airport in a holding cell for 24 hours, she was deported to London.
BENGALURU: Indian origin writer, poet and activist Prof Nitasha Kaul, who was invited to ‘The Constitution and Unity of India’ conference organised by the Karnataka government, has alleged that she was denied entry to India by the immigration officials at Bengaluru International Airport on Friday.
On Sunday, she took to social media platform X to share her ordeal and said that after she was detained at the airport in a holding cell for 24 hours, she was deported to London.
Kaul alleged that the immigration officials in Bengaluru informally made references to her criticism of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for refusing her entry into India to take part in the conference that was held in Bengaluru on Saturday and Sunday (February 24& 25).
“I was invited to a conference by the Government of Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but the Centre refused me entry. All my documents were valid and current (UK passport and Overseas Citizen of India). I was given no reason by immigration except ‘we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi’. My travel and logistics had been arranged by Karnataka and I had the official letter with me. I received no notice or info in advance from Delhi that I would not be allowed to enter,” Kaul said in a series of her social media posts.
She said that she is a globally respected academic and public intellectual and added, “I am not anti-Indian, I am anti-authoritarian and pro-democracy.”
“The government is welcome to fix this and speak to me so that I can explain what is that they are unable to understand about me, my identity, my work or my views. Generations of my family have served important institutions of the state and government and such petty vindictive behaviour is incredible,” Kaul stated.
“The government at centre in India refused me entry to a conference where I was invited by the state government. Unless this is fixed, I join the ranks of the Tibetan exiles and Ukrainian exiles and others throughout history who have faced the arbitrary exercise of brute unreasoning power,” Kaul posted. Tagging Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and Spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal questioned, “How can the world’s largest democracy be threatened by my pen and the word? How is it ok for the centre to not allow a professor to be at a conference on the Constitution where she was invited by the state government? To give no reason? Not the India we cherish, is it?”
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