Centre denies entry to Indian-origin UK professor Nitasha Kaul over RSS criticism?
PTC Web Desk: In a surprising turn of events, Nitasha Kaul, a 48-year-old Indian-origin professor based in the UK and a prominent academic, found herself at the center of a controversy as she was denied entry into India upon her arrival at Bengaluru airport. Nitasha Kaul, invited by the Karnataka government to speak at a convention, took to Twitter to express her dismay, alleging that immigration officials refused her entry due to her past criticism of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a far-right Hindu nationalist paramilitary.
According to Nitasha Kaul's tweets, she was denied entry despite having valid and current documents, including a UK passport and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status. The academic, who teaches at the University of Westminster in the UK, said she had been invited as an esteemed delegate by the Congress-ruled state of Karnataka. However, the Central Government reportedly intervened, preventing her entry into the country without providing specific reasons, other than "orders from Delhi."
IMPORTANT: Denied entry to #India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as esteemed delegate by Govt of #Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused me entry. All my documents were valid & current (UK passport & OCI). THREAD 1/n pic.twitter.com/uv7lmWhs4k — Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) February 25, 2024
The situation took a toll on Nitasha Kaul's journey as she narrated a harrowing experience, spending 12 hours on a flight from London to Bengaluru, followed by several hours at immigration where she was shuttled without receiving information on the process. Subsequently, she spent 24 hours in a holding cell with restricted movement and no access to basic facilities such as a pillow and a blanket. Kaul expressed frustration at the lack of communication from Delhi, highlighting the abrupt nature of her denial.
Furthermore, Nitasha Kaul detailed the challenges she faced during her detention, including a lack of easy access to food and water. Despite making numerous calls to the airport, her requests for basic necessities were allegedly ignored. This led to a distressing 12-hour flight back to London, leaving her perplexed.
In her tweets, Nitasha Kaul also connected her denial to her past experiences with right-wing Hindutva trolls, who she claims had threatened her with death, rape, and bans for years. She cited instances where the authorities reportedly sent the police to intimidate her elderly and ailing mother, despite Kaul residing in the UK and her work having no apparent connection to her family.
The political landscape quickly absorbed the controversy, with the Karnataka BJP responding to Kaul's tweets by blaming the Congress party and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for inviting her in the first place. The BJP accused the Congress of using Karnataka as a laboratory for divisive agendas, potentially undermining national unity and integrity. The party expressed gratitude to security agencies for preventing what they referred to as "one such anti-India element" from suspiciously entering the country, before being detained at the airport.
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