Mon May 19 11:01:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
A British Kashmiri Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster, Nitasha Kaul, has announced that her Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) has been cancelled by the Indian authorities due to her alleged “anti-India activities.” The Indian government cited her writings, speeches, and journalistic activities that target India’s sovereignty as the reason for the cancellation. Kaul has condemned the move as transnational repression, claiming she is being punished for her scholarly work on Indian policies.
**News Article:**
**Indian Government Cancels OCI of British Academic Over “Anti-India Activities”**
**London – May 20, 2025:** Nitasha Kaul, a British Kashmiri Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster, claims India has revoked her Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) due to alleged “anti-India activities.”
Kaul took to social media to share the news, claiming she received communication from the Indian government accusing her of “malice and complete disregard for facts or history.” She also drew a connection to her previous denial of entry into India to attend a conference in Bengaluru.
According to documentation shared by Kaul, the Indian government cited “numerous inimical writings, speeches and journalistic activities at various international forums and on social media platforms” as justification for the cancellation. These activities reportedly targeted “India and its institutions on the matters of India’s sovereignty.”
Under OCI rules, the Indian government can cancel citizenship if an individual displays “disaffection towards the Constitution of India as established by law.”
Kaul, who also serves as the Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Westminster, condemned the revocation as a “bad faith, vindictive, cruel example of transnational repression.” She maintains she is being punished for her scholarly work on anti-minority and anti-democratic policies within India.
The High Commission of India in London has been contacted for a statement regarding the matter. The cancellation marks the latest instance raising concerns over academic freedom and the Indian government’s response to critical voices.
First Piper 