Nitasha Kaul, a British writer of Kashmir origin and professor of politics at the University of Westminster in London was allegedly denied entry and deported from India.
On February 25th, 2024 kaul, tweeted “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).
Without an official government statement, the true reason for her visit remains in the realm of speculation.
Reacting to the incident Karnataka’s BJP tweeted “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 Congress party is now using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare ground for its divisive agendas, potentially undermining national unity & integrity. At the expense of Karnataka tax payers’, Congress govt is channeling funds to Terrorist-Sympathisers, Urban Naxals, Anti-Nationals, Riots-accused to destabilise India ahead of elections. Thanks to our security agencies, one such anti-India element was caught suspiciously entering India & detained at the airport .No money to spend on drought relief or developmental needs of Karnataka, but Siddaramaiah is happy to finance the Break India Brigade in an effort to appease Rahul Gandhi and save his CM Chair, all in the name of Dr. Ambedkar’s constitution. What a disgrace!”
Some speculate that in the past she had criticised RSS (a Hindu nationalist organization) may have been a factor in the denial of entry, suggesting the government viewed her visit as potentially disruptive.