NEW DELHI: Five foreigners were asked to leave India for violating visa rules by participating in anti-CAA agitations.
"As reported by the Bureau of Immigration (BOI), five foreign nationals who violated visa norms by participating in the anti-CAA protests were asked to leave India," informed Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question posed at the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
For a fact, Indian government had officially cancelled the visa of Jakob Lindenthal, an exchange student from Germany at IIT-M who was asked to leave the country for flouting visa regulations.
He was seen participating in anti-CAA protests holding a placard that read, “Uniformed Criminals-Criminals.”
The student said the Indian Embassy in Germany told him that his visa has been cancelled on February 8, but did not give any reasons.
“Mr Lindenthal’s visa has indeed now been officially cancelled, meaning that he is no longer able to travel to India to continue his student exchange,” Technical University-Dresden’s Head of Press Office and Public Relations, Kim Magister told media outlets. “However, he was able to successfully complete one semester at the IIT Madras. For this period, he will receive a transcript of records from our partner university.”
A Norwegian national Janne-Mette Johansson was also asked to leave India for violating visa norms. This happened after she participated in anti-CAA protests on December 23, 2019 in Kochi.
Johansson was summoned to the office of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) where she was asked questions. The Office learned about her participation through social media.
Janne-Mette had posted pictures from the protest along with a status on Facebook, which read, “This afternoon I participated in a protest march; People’s Long March. It started out from Gandhi Circle Ernakulam, and we marched with slogans and flags to Vasco da Gama Square Cochin, while the protesters were singing and chanting and with their fists up. The People’s Long March was very well organized. (sic)”
According to various media reports, government officials asked her to immediately leave the country, else legal action will be taken against her.
A few days ago, Debbie Abrahams, Labour MP for Oldham East & Saddleworth has been denied entry into India. She was deported to Dubai from Delhi airport. Abrahams claimed that she was treated unfairly because of her views on Kashmir.