Who is Nitasha Kaul, and why did government cancel her Overseas Citizenship of India?

Nitasha Kaul, a UK-based academic of Kashmiri origin, had her OCI status cancelled by India for alleged anti-India activities. She was earlier deported from Bengaluru despite being invited to a state government event.

Nitasha Kaul is a UK-based academic, writer, and public speaker of Indian origin. She has made headlines after the Indian government cancelled her Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status. The cancellation came months after she was denied entry into India and deported from Bengaluru in February 2024, even though she had been invited by the Karnataka government to speak at a state-run conference on constitutional values.

On May 18, Kaul posted a cropped image of the official cancellation notice on social media. 

She described the action as an example of “transnational repression” by the Indian government, targeting her for her scholarly work that criticises what she calls anti-minority and anti-democratic trends under the current leadership.

What did the Indian government say in the notice?

In the partial notice shared by Kaul, the Indian government accused her of:

• ‘Indulging in anti-India activities’
• Acting ‘motivated by malice and complete disregard for facts or history’
• Targeting “India and its institutions” through her writings and speeches on issues related to India’s sovereignty

Kaul said she received this cancellation notice at home in the UK and claimed that it was a form of punishment for her critical academic work.

Why was Nitasha Kaul deported from India in 2024?

In February 2024, Kaul was invited by the Congress-led Karnataka government to speak at a conference titled “The Constitution and Unity of India”, scheduled for February 24–25 in Bengaluru. The invitation letter, signed by the state’s Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, praised her experience and insights.

Despite holding valid travel documents, including a UK passport and an OCI card, Kaul was stopped at the Bengaluru airport soon after her arrival and deported back to London within hours. In a series of posts, she said immigration officials gave no formal reason but informally mentioned her past criticism of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindu nationalist group.

Kaul described the experience as humiliating, saying she was:

• Held at immigration for hours
• Detained under constant CCTV surveillance
• Denied easy access to food, water, a pillow, or a blanket
• Deported after a long wait and flown back to the UK

What has Kaul said in her defence?

Kaul has consistently rejected the label of being “anti-India.” She calls herself pro-democracy and says her work is focused on civil rights, constitutional values, and challenging misogyny and authoritarianism. In her post on X, in which she tagged a post from 2024 when she was denied entry to a Karnataka event, she said:

“I care about democratic values, political and civil liberties, rule of law, and inclusion.”

She claimed to have submitted a 20,000-word response to the Indian government defending her academic work. She called the cancellation process “rigged” and said she was being targeted for her opinions, not for any unlawful act.

In her X post, Kaul questioned, “Will overseas PR delegations of GOI say why ‘mother of #democracy’ denies me access to my mother?” She further criticized the BJP government, saying, “This is thin-skinned, petty insecurity with no respect for well-intentioned dissent that arrests/imprisons citizens in India & bars access to family for overseas citizens of #India.”

Who is Nitasha Kaul?

Nitasha Kaul is a Kashmiri Pandit born in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur. She did BA (Hons) in Economics, Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi University and Masters in Economics with Public Policy, University of Hull, UK. She has also done Joint PhD in Economics and Philosophy, University of Hull. Currently, she is a professor of Politics, International Relations, and Critical Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Westminster, London. She's also been the Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy at Westminster. Some of the books authored by Nitasha Kaul are:

• Residue (shortlisted for 2009 Man Asian Literary Prize)
• Future Tense
• Imagining Economics Otherwise
• Co-editor of Can You Hear Kashmiri Women Speak?

Her academic and literary work often reflects on issues of identity, democracy, conflict in Kashmir, and displacement.

Why is her case controversial?

Her case has sparked debate on:

• Freedom of speech vs. national security: Whether her critical views on the Indian government justify cancellation of OCI status
• Centre vs. State tensions: The Karnataka government (run by Congress) had invited her, but the central government refused her entry
• Alleged political targeting: Kaul alleges she is being punished for speaking out against the BJP and RSS

The Karnataka BJP unit had earlier criticised her presence at the event, calling her a ‘Pakistani sympathiser’ and accused the Congress party of undermining Indian unity.

What is OCI, and what does cancellation mean?

The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) is a special immigration status given to foreign citizens of Indian origin. It allows:

• Visa-free travel to India
• Long-term stay
• Some rights to work and own property (with limitations)

However, OCI is not the same as Indian citizenship, and it can be cancelled by the Indian government if the cardholder:

• Violates Indian laws
• Is seen as a threat to India's sovereignty or interests

Now that Kaul’s OCI has been cancelled, she cannot enter India without applying for a visa, and even that could be rejected.