NEW DELHI: On Monday, a UK-based professor of Indian origin alleged that upon arriving at Bengaluru airport, she was refused entry despite being invited by the Karnataka government to attend an event.
Professor Nitasha Kaul, a Kashmiri Pandit scholar living in London, stated in several posts on X that she was provided with no explanation by immigration authorities at Bengaluru airport and was not given any prior notice or information.
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“Denied entry to India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as esteemed delegate by Government of Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused me entry. All my documents were valid & current (UK passport & OCI),” she said, sharing pictures of the invitation extended to her by the Karnataka government and other conference-related communications.
View Her Post Here:
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
Stating that immigration officials offered no explanation other than “we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi,” Ms. Kaul remarked, “My travel & logistics had been arranged by Karnataka & 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.”
The author mentioned that authorities informally suggested that her entry into India was denied due to her past criticisms of the RSS.
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In response to the situation, the Karnataka BJP promptly branded the professor as an “anti-India element” and a member of what they referred to as a ‘Break India Brigade’. The BJP accused the Congress of “jeopardising the unity and integrity of India” by inviting Ms. Kaul.
Congress party has disgraced Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser who wants India’s break up.
Don’t you have any shame left CM @siddaramaiah? Are you trying to challenge the constitution & threaten the unity & integrity of India?
It is now apparent that the… pic.twitter.com/kG0XVePHgK
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) February 25, 2024
It alleged that Nitasha Kaul was sympathetic towards Pakistan and shared titles of a couple of her articles on X.
The party claimed that the Congress is currently using Karnataka as a testing ground for its divisive agendas. “Thanks to our security agencies, one such anti-India element was caught suspiciously entering India and detained at the airport,” stated the BJP.
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