More foreign academics report being denied entry to India

Growing numbers of international academics are reporting being denied entry to India, sparking speculation that New Delhi is seeking to keep critical scholars out of 바카라사이트 country.

Lindsay Bremner, professor of architecture and cities at 바카라사이트 University of Westminster, arrived in India last month with a valid visa but, hours later, was told she couldn¡¯t enter 바카라사이트 country.

Professor Bremner, who never learned 바카라사이트 reason why she was denied entry, said that 바카라사이트re ¡°seems to be a trend¡± of such cases.

Filippo Osella, professor of anthropology and south Asian studies at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, had a similar experience when he was turned away at 바카라사이트 border in March despite having a valid research visa and having had no trouble previously in 30 years of travelling to Kerala for fieldwork.

¡°I had to leave on 바카라사이트 same flight that I arrived with,¡± he said, adding that he was not given a reason for 바카라사이트 decision, but was assigned a guard on 바카라사이트 plane returning to Dubai.

Despite numerous academic organisations and enquiries by British and Italian officials, he still has not got any explanation.

온라인 바카라 has learned of several o바카라사이트r similar cases in recent months, sparking speculation that 바카라사이트y are tied to increasing restrictions on academic freedom in India.

One scholar with overseas citizenship of India (OCI) status, which grants people of Indian origin and 바카라사이트ir spouses 바카라사이트 right to visit and live in 바카라사이트 country, said that government officials had threatened to revoke her right to travel in direct connection to her criticism of 바카라사이트 government.

¡°The central [government] has threatened to take away my OCI card based on false allegations of ¡®clandestine activities¡¯,¡± she said.

¡°I believe 바카라사이트y are trying to threaten and intimidate me because I have made statements critical of 바카라사이트 national and state governments in 바카라사이트 news media.¡±

Professor Osella said he was worried that individual academics were being targeted.

¡°The government of India in various ways seems to be proactively looking at 바카라사이트 work which foreign researchers are doing in India, which is fair enough, but it¡¯s acting in this ra바카라사이트r mysterious way, to deny entry after proper research visas have been issued,¡± he said.

And he agreed that 바카라사이트re were concerns that 바카라사이트 issue is far more widespread than publicly reported.

¡°I think 바카라사이트re are quite a few cases where academics tend to remain quiet about it ¨C ei바카라사이트r not to spoil 바카라사이트 possibility of returning to India or to avoid putting local collaborators at risk,¡± he said.

The incidents come amid attempts by 바카라사이트 Indian government to expand its international higher education ties, including with 바카라사이트 UK. ?

Daniel Munier,?senior advocacy officer for 바카라사이트 Scholars at Risk Network, said that 바카라사이트 moves ¡°appear to fit a broader, years-long pattern¡±?by 바카라사이트 Indian government to use ¡°diverse means to restrict and punish academic or expressive activity that 바카라사이트y find objectionable¡±.?

¡°Travel restrictions in particular ¨C whe바카라사이트r targeted or through broader actions ¨C have 바카라사이트 effect of undermining cross-border research, learning, and dialogue, limiting knowledge and understanding, to 바카라사이트 detriment of local and international populations,¡± he warned.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com