Ali Raza Syed condemns deportation of Prof Nitasha from India
Brussels: The Chairman of Kashmir Council Europe (KCEU), Ali Raza Syed, has strongly condemned the deportation of Kashmiri-origin British Professor Nitasha Kaul at Bangalore Airport by the Indian authorities.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Natasha Kaul, a Kashmiri-born Professor of political science at the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom, was not allowed to enter by the Indian immigration authorities at the airport in Bangalore, India. She was detained at the airport for many hours and then finally sent back to the UK. According to Professor Nitasha, the Indian authorities prevented her at the airport for 24 hours and then sent him back to the UK from the airport.
Professor Kaul, a Kashmiri Pandit and British citizen, often writes against the inhumane tactics and wrong policies of the Modi government. She is also a renowned novelist, writer and poet.
Professor Nitasha was recently scheduled to arrive in Bangalore to attend a two-day seminar on “Democracy and Constitutional Values” at the invitation of the Karnataka State Government. The Central Opposition Party Congress has the state government in Karnataka.
Ali Raza Syed in his statement condemned the incident and said that there was no justification to stop Professor Natasha and deport her because, according to Professor Nitasha, she had all the necessary travel documents. Such an act is against basic principles of modern democratic societies including the freedom of human movement, freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
He said it is regrettable that the Indian immigration authorities did not give any reason for not allowing Prof. Nitasha to enter the country, nor was any notice or information given to her by the Indian government before her travel that they will not be allowed to enter the country.
Ali Raza Syed added that it is a shame for India that its authorities did not allow an internationally renowned professor to enter their country, and was detained at the airport for 24 hours and then deported.
