BJP tears into K'taka govt over deportation of 'controversial' UK writer from B’luru airport

Bengaluru, Feb 26:  The Karnataka BJP unit has levelled serious allegations against the Congress government in connection with the reported deportation of British academic and writer Nitasha Kaul from the city, accusing it of channelising taxpayers’ funds to 'terrorist-sympathisers', 'urban naxals', 'anti-nationals', and 'riots-accused' to destabilise the country ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.”

On Sunday, Nitasha Kaul was detained by the security agencies on her arrival at the KempeGowda International Airport in Bengaluru before she was deported back to London. Kaul later claimed that she was denied entry despite having an invitation to speak at a conference organised by the Karnataka government.

Kaul, a controversial writer, was invited by the government of Karnataka to participate in a conference titled 'The Constitution and Unity of India' in Bengaluru.

Lashing out at the Congress government for inviting Kaul, the BJP posted on social media without taking her name, “The Congress has disgraced the Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser who wants India to break up.

“Don’t you have any shame, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah? Are you trying to challenge the Constitution and threaten the unity and integrity of India?”

It is now apparent that the Congress is now using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare ground for its divisive agendas, potentially undermining national unity and integrity, the BJP alleged.

“Thanks to our security agencies, one such anti-India element was caught suspiciously entering India and was detained at the airport. No money to spend on drought relief or developmental needs of Karnataka, but, Siddaramaiah is happy to finance the ‘Break India Brigade’,” it said.

Kaul, an OCI cardholder and writer based in London, stated on X, “Denied entry to India for speaking on democratic and constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as an esteemed delegate by the government of Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused my entry. All my documents were valid and current (UK Passport and OCD).”

“I was given no reason by immigration except ‘we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi'. I spent 12 hours in a flight from London to Bengaluru, several hours at immigration where they shuttled me here and there, providing no info on the process.

"Then 24 hours in a holding cell under the direct CCTV with restricted movement, a narrow area to lie down and no easy access to food and water, made dozens of calls to airport for basic things as a pillow and blanket, which they refused to provide, then 12 hours on the flight back to London."