Government cancels OCI of Kashmiri Pandit scholar Nitasha Kaul

May 19, 2025 by News Desk

The Ministry of Home Affairs has revoked the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card of Nitasha Kaul, a Kashmiri Pandit academic and writer based in the United Kingdom, alleging her involvement in activities considered hostile to India.

The move, which Kaul described as “transnational repression,” follows years of criticism she has leveled against the Modi government, especially over its treatment of minorities and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Kaul, who was born into a Kashmiri Pandit family and currently teaches at the University of Westminster, shared a portion of the cancellation notice on X (formerly Twitter), claiming the government’s action was driven by her academic and political commentary.

“This is a punitive response to my intellectual dissent against majoritarian politics and human rights violations,” she posted, adding that the notice accused her of having a “malicious disregard for facts and history” and of engaging in discourse that undermines India’s image.

Originally from Srinagar, Kaul moved abroad in the late 1990s and has since become one of the more prominent Kashmiri Pandit voices critical of state policy in Kashmir.

She has testified at international forums, including the U.S. Congress, and has spoken about the erosion of democratic institutions in India.

This is not the first time the Indian state apparatus has acted against her. In 2024, Kaul was barred entry into India despite being officially invited to a Karnataka government event. Right-wing groups including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had then called for action against her, citing her “anti-national” stance.

A political theorist and author of novels like Residue and Future Tense, Kaul has long argued that her work stems from a place of conscience and justice, not animosity. “I write because I care about the future of all people in the region, not just one community,” she has said in past interviews.