Addressing the recent assertions made by Nitasha Kaul, a UK national of Indian origin, regarding her alleged denial of entry into India, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that the admission of foreign nationals into the country is regarded as a decision of sovereign authority.
Responding to inquiries concerning Kaul's claims, the MEA Spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated, "The aforementioned UK national (Nitasha Kaul) arrived in India on February 22. As you are aware, the entry of foreign nationals into our nation is subject to the prerogative of sovereign governance."
Notably, Nitasha Kaul, a 48-year-old professor based in the UK of Kashmiri-Pandit descent, recently detailed her encounter of being denied entry into India through a series of posts on social media platform X. She recounted her arrival at the Bengaluru airport and subsequent deportation from the country shortly thereafter.
Kaul, who had been invited by the Karnataka government to participate in a conference scheduled for February 24 and 25, alleged that immigration authorities justified their refusal of entry by alluding informally to her purported criticism of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
In her social media posts, Kaul lamented being barred from India despite possessing valid and up-to-date documentation, including a UK passport and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status.
Following Kaul's account of events, the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded through various tweets, implicating the Congress party and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for extending the invitation to Kaul. Additionally, they expressed gratitude to security agencies for intercepting what they described as an "anti-India element" seeking entry into the country under dubious circumstances.
Conversely, the Congress party condemned Kaul's purported denial of entry as an infringement upon freedom of expression and federal principles. Meanwhile, the BJP characterized her as 'anti-India' and asserted her unwelcome status within the country.
