Centre cancels visa of German exchange student sent back for participating in Chennai anti-CAA protests: Report

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The Centre has revoked the visa of German exchange student Jakob Lindenthal, who was told to leave the county after he participated in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act at IIT-Madras, Indian Express reported.

Lindenthal, a post-graudate student of physics at the Technical University of Dresden (TUD), told Indian Express the Indian Embassy in Germany informed him that his visa had been cancelled on 8 February. Officials, however, did not give him any reason for their decision, he said.  Lindenthal was earlier advised by the Embassy against returning to India on his current visa, Indian Express reported.

Lindenthal left the country on 25 December, two days after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office in Chennai told him to do so or face deportation. The move came after he participated in multiple protests against the CAA.  In one protest, he was holding a placard that had an indirect reference to the Nazi persecution of the Jews in Germany between 1933 and 1945 during the Hitler regime. Images from the protest show him holding a placard which read "1933-1945... we have been there" and another which read "No democracy without dissent".

Jacob Lindenthal , an exchange student at IIT Madras took part in an anti-CAA protest in Chennai. News18

Lindenthal was part of a student exchange programme between IIT-Madras and TUD and arrived in India in July 2019. He would have completed his course in May 2020. His visa was reportedly going to expire in June 2020.

Kim Magister, Head of Press Office and Public Relations at the university in Dresden confirmed that Lindenthal's visa had been cancelled, as per the report. "Lindenthal’s visa has indeed now been officially cancelled, meaning that he is no longer able to travel to India to continue his student exchange. However, he was able to successfully complete one semester at the IIT Madras. For this period, he will receive a Transcript of Records from our partner university,” she told The Indian Express.

IIT-Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said the decision to cancel Lindenthal's visa was taken by the immigration authorities and that the institute was not involved.  “If the visa is granted, the student or visitor comes, else they do not. This is the process followed everywhere," he said.

Following Lindethal's expulsion from India, the TUD has decided to introduce special workshops to “optimally prepare” students for such foreign exchange programmes, said Magister adding that Lindenthal has also been invited to talk about his experiences in India.

Protests against the amended citizenship law spread across many cities and university campuses in India in December, with protesters alleging that the law, which seeks to fast-track citizenship for non-Muslim immigrants from three countries, discriminates against minorities.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2wXYBUU
FP Staff

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