“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)”
Prof. Nitasha Kaul, on her deportation
UK-IMC statement in support of Professor Nitasha Kaul
26 Feb 2024
We urge the British government to challenge the deportation of UK Professor Nitasha Kaul and the ongoing attempts of the Indian government to suppress academic freedom
Prof Kaul's deportation is part of a concerning trend of silencing dissenting voices that challenge the authoritarian actions of the Indian government and highlight the Indian government's fragility and oppressive stance against free exchange of ideas.
Professor Nitasha Kaul, a respected scholar in Politics, International Relations and Critical Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Westminster, was in Bangalore at the request of the state government of Karnataka to discuss democratic and constitutional principles. She has been a vocal defender of minority rights in India and a critic of Hindutva (a Hindu supremacist ideology).
The Hindutva regime in India has previously demonstrated similar fragility and authoritarianism towards academia. For instance, in 2022, Filippo Osella, a professor at the University of Sussex in the UK, was forcibly removed from Thiruvananthapuram airport.
As an advocacy movement committed to protecting the rights of Indian Muslims and other minorities while opposing Hindutva and other extremist ideologies, the UK-Indian Muslim Council firmly condemns these cowardly attempts to curtail academic freedom. It is crucial to nurture environments that value diverse viewpoints, critical thinking, and open discussions.
We express unwavering support for Professor Nitasha Kaul and all scholars facing similar challenges in exercising their academic freedom and call on the UK government to confront India's violation of scholars' rights and their essential role in educating and engaging with the public.
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