NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — The Indian government has cancelled the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status of UK-based academic Dr. Nitasha Kaul, citing alleged “anti-India activities.” Kaul, a professor at the University of Westminster and a prominent political commentator, disclosed the development on May 18 through a post on X.
“I received a cancellation of my #OCI today after arriving home,” Kaul wrote, sharing an image of the official notice. She described the action as a “bad faith, vindictive, cruel example of #TNR (transnational repression),” claiming it was retaliation for her scholarly work critiquing what she terms anti-minority and anti-democratic policies under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
The cancellation follows a high-profile incident in 2023, when Kaul was deported from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport within hours of landing. At the time, she had been invited by the Congress-led Karnataka state government to speak at a convention focused on constitutional and democratic values.
In a subsequent statement, Kaul alleged that immigration authorities made informal references to her past criticisms of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu organization closely affiliated with India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“All my documents were valid and current—UK passport and OCI,” Kaul, a Kashmiri Pandit by origin, wrote after her deportation. “Denied entry to India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values,” she added, calling it an affront to the state government that had officially invited her.
Kaul’s academic work and public statements have long drawn the ire of right-wing groups in India. In 2019, she testified before the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs about alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir following the Indian government’s revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to the region.
Her testimony, which included criticism of the Modi government, sparked a backlash from BJP supporters and aligned media outlets. The BJP’s Karnataka unit condemned her invitation to the 2023 convention, calling her a “Pakistani sympathiser” and accusing the Congress party of undermining national unity.
“Congress party has disgraced the Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser who wants India’s breakup,” the Karnataka BJP posted on X. “It is now apparent that the Congress party is using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare ground for its divisive agendas.”
Kaul, who completed her undergraduate studies at Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce and earned her master’s and Ph.D. from Hull University in the UK, is currently a faculty member in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster. Her academic research often focuses on South Asian politics, democracy, gender, and identity.
Despite the revocation of her OCI status, Kaul remains outspoken. She argues that the Indian government is punishing her for exercising academic freedom and expressing dissent. “This action is part of a broader crackdown on intellectuals, minorities, and critics of the regime,” she posted.
The Government of India has not issued a public statement detailing the specific charges that led to Kaul’s OCI cancellation. The Ministry of Home Affairs has the authority to cancel OCI cards under provisions that include involvement in acts prejudicial to India’s sovereignty and integrity, or any activity the government deems harmful to national interests.