Sat Feb 08 07:44:40 UTC 2025: ## Indian-American Politician Accuses Indian Consulate of Assault After Visa Denial

**Seattle, WA –** Seattle City Council Member Kshama Sawant has accused staff at the Indian Consulate in Seattle of assault following the rejection of her emergency visa application. Sawant, a socialist politician, claims she and members of her organization, Workers Strike Back, visited the consulate on Thursday, February 6th, 2025, to seek an explanation for the denial.

According to Sawant, consulate staff threatened to call the police, attempted to confiscate phones, and physically removed them from the premises. She alleges a staff member assaulted a member of her group and another physically assaulted her.

The Indian Consulate General in Seattle released a statement on X (formerly Twitter) acknowledging a “law and order situation” caused by unauthorized individuals entering the consulate after hours. The statement alluded to further action against those involved without explicitly naming Sawant. A consular officer reportedly told Sawant her visa was denied because her name was on a “rejection list,” offering no further explanation.

Sawant’s emergency visa application was denied so she could visit her ailing mother in Bengaluru. This follows two previous visa denials in 2024. Sawant attributes the denials to her political activism, specifically citing a city council resolution condemning India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) and a ban on caste discrimination. She suggests the Indian government is targeting her for her socialist views and opposition to Prime Minister Modi’s policies. Sawant has called on opposition parties in India to condemn what she calls an “inhumane agenda” preventing families from reuniting. The incident is under investigation.

Read More