New Delhi:
Nitasha Kaul, the Indian-origin British academic who was deported by the government over the weekend after landing at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, has hit back at claims she was refused entry because she is “married to a Pakistani”. ..which is a pawn of China.” A puppet of the West…”
Ms Kaul – whom government sources claim was deported because of “anti-India, pro-separatist sentiments” – said she was not humiliated, and declared, “I am afraid of authoritarian people. ..a thoughtful woman”.
“Again: All lies, I am not married to a Pakistani, I am not a Muslim convert, I am not a pawn of China, not a puppet of the West, not a Communist, not a Jihadi, not pro-Pak Not a terrorist supporter, not anti-India, and not part of any gang,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“My experience was tragic… but the humiliation is not mine. It is that of a ridiculous, insecure regime. What I have called in my work ‘the moral wound of colonialism’ is very clearly on display.”
He said, “Selective regurgitation of past macro-history is used to manipulate current sentiment.”
“I urge you to think beyond the walls of hatred against people different from you… and read and understand what I say and think before you condemn. It’s hard but it’s possible.”
About all the lies, I am not married to any Pakistani, I am not a Muslim convert, I am not a pawn of China, not a puppet of the West, not a communist, not a jihadi, not pro-Pak, not pro-terrorist Yes, I am not anti-India. Not part of any gang.
I am the one whom authoritarians fear-
A thoughtful woman ❤️✊🏽💃🏼— Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) 26 February 2024
Nitasha Kaul is also Professor of Politics, International Relations and Critical Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Westminster, London Describes herself as a “Kashmiri Novelist”,
According to his website, his focus areas include “right-wing politics, postcolonial neoliberal nationalism, the Hindutva project in India, and the history and politics of Kashmir.”
On Sunday evening Ms Kaul posted a detailed message on Instagram, saying she had been “denied entry into India for speaking on democratic and constitutional values”.
“I was invited to a conference by the Karnataka government (a Congress-ruled state), but the Center refused to grant me entry. All my documents (UK passport and Overseas Citizen of India Card) were valid…”
“I was given no reason from Immigration other than, ‘We can’t do anything, there are orders from Delhi’.”
No reason was given to me by the immigration other than ‘we cannot do anything, there are orders from Delhi’. My travel and logistics were arranged by Karnataka and I had the official letter. I did not receive any prior notice or information from Delhi that I would not be allowed to enter.
— Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) 25 February 2024
In a lengthy thread, he said he spent about 48 hours in a holding cell at Bengaluru airport, 24 of which were with “no easy access to food and water” and without a pillow or blanket.
“Officials had years ago informally made reference to my criticism of the RSS, a far-right Hindu nationalist paramilitary organization (the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is widely seen as the ideological guru of the ruling BJP)…”
right wing #hindutrolls For years I have been receiving threats of death, rape, ban etc. In the past, the authorities have sent police to the home of my elderly ailing mother to intimidate her, even though I live in the UK and my work has nothing to do with her, a holy temple-going mother Dejor-wearing retired Hindi … pic.twitter.com/cV41Mr2JJ7
— Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) 25 February 2024
She also said that “Right-wing Hindutva trolls have threatened me for years with death, rape, bans, etc…” and that these threats have also extended to her mother, who lives in the United Kingdom.
Ms Kaul’s expulsion is also turning into a political controversy, as the main opposition party in Karnataka, the BJP, has accused the Congress of inviting “a Pak supporter who wants the division of India”.
The Congress Party has insulted the Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani supporter who wants partition of India.
Do you have no shame left, CM? @siddaramaiah, Are you trying to challenge the Constitution and endanger the unity and integrity of India?
Now it is clear that… pic.twitter.com/kG0XVePHgK
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) 25 February 2024
Karnataka Minister HC Mahadevappa, whose office had invited Ms Kaul to Karnataka, said he was “deeply concerned” by the incident and urged the Center to respect her right to “freedom of expression”.
As we all know @BJP4India Is the party always against the spirit of the Constitution?
Such things are happening again and again because of their ignorance about our constitutional values
We strongly condemn such an act of dictatorship against the values of the Indian Constitution
2/2
– Dr. H.C.Mahadevappa (@CMahadevappa) 26 February 2024
“As we all know, BJP is always a party against the spirit of the Constitution (and) because of their ignorance about our constitutional values, such things are happening again and again. We are against the values of the Indian Constitution as a dictatorship. Strongly condemn such acts,” he said on X.
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