Bengaluru: Nitasha Kaul, a professor of Indian descent working in the UK, described her ordeal of being denied entry into India and subsequently deported to London as a distressing experience. She emphasized the importance of overcoming prejudices against those who are different and appealed for understanding and empathy.

The incident occurred when Kaul arrived in Bengaluru to attend the ‘Constitution and National Unity Convention - 2024’, a two-day event scheduled for February 24 and 25, hosted by the Karnataka government. Despite her invitation as a speaker, authorities at the Bengaluru airport turned her away, sending her back to the UK.

Kaul attributes the denial of her entry to her outspoken views on democratic and constitutional principles. In defense, she clarified on her X account against several misconceptions about her, stating she is neither influenced by foreign entities nor holds any extremist affiliations. She identifies herself as a thinker, which she believes authoritarian regimes fear.

Nitasha Kaul serves as a Professor in Politics, International Relations, and Critical Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Westminster, London, where she also leads the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD). Her academic journey began with the publication of her book, ‘Imagining Economics Otherwise: encounters with identity/difference’ in 2007. Hailing from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, Kaul has roots in Srinagar, Kashmir, as shared in her post on X.

Her academic work has garnered recognition and funding, including the "Small Seed Funding" from the Westminster-Smithsonian Partnership Development Fund for 2023–2024 and the "Research and Knowledge Exchange Award" from the University of Westminster's School of Social Sciences in January 2022.

Detailing her experience on X, Kaul recounted the long journey from London to Bengaluru, followed by several hours at immigration without clear communication about the process. She described her 24-hour stay in a holding cell with limited mobility and basic amenities, monitored by CCTV, before her return flight to London. Kaul lamented the central government's refusal to allow her participation in the conference, despite the state government's invitation, equating her experience to the historical injustices faced by exiles.