India has its own visa policy under which it determines which non-citizens can enter the country, the United States said on Thursday, while reacting to allegations by an Australian journalist that India refused to extend her visa, leading to her leaving the country “abruptly”.
“The government of India can speak on its own visa policy. That is not something I am going to opine on from here,” US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said.
“Broadly, we have been clear with countries around the world about the integral role that a free press plays in the fabric of democracy. That is why we come up here and take questions regularly. But I will let the officials in India speak to the specifics,” Patel told reporters at a news conference, as per news agency PTI.
Notably, Avani Dias, the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) left India on April 19, and claimed that she was denied an extension of her visa by the Indian government because her reports “crossed a line”.
“After Australian Government intervention, I got a mere two-month extension…less than 24 hours before my flight,” Dias said in a post on ‘X’.
“We were also told my election accreditation would not come through because of an Indian Ministry directive. We left on day one of voting in the national election in what Modi calls ‘the mother of democracy’,” she added.
However, sources in the Central government said that her claims were incorrect, misleading, and mischievous.
Dias was in violation of visa rules while “undertaking her professional pursuits,” sources said to the media.
“In spite of this, on her request, she was assured that her visa would be extended for the coverage of the general elections,” sources said.
Dias’s previous visa was valid till April 20, and she paid the visa fee on April 18. Her visa was extended till the end of June the same day, sources said.
The sources said that Dias “chose to leave India” on April 20.
“At the time of her departure, she held a valid visa and her extension of visa stood approved. Her point about not being permitted to cover elections is also factually incorrect,” top government sources said.
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