In a dramatic turn of events that has once again raised fears of academic freedom and transnational repression, Indian-origin British academic Nitasha Kaul has announced that the Government of India has revoked her Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI). Dr. Nitasha Kaul, who is a lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster in London, announced on her social media website X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday evening (IST).
IMPORTANT NOTE – I received a cancellation of my #OCI (Overseas Citizenship of #India) *today* after arriving home. A bad faith, vindictive, cruel example of #TNR (transnational repression) punishing me for scholarly work on anti-minority & anti-democratic policies of #Modi rule. pic.twitter.com/7L60klIfrv
— Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) May 18, 2025
OCI Revoked Following Suspected “Anti-India Activities”
Kaul revealed that the authorities emailed her the cancellation notice the same day, shortly after she reached home. Posting a screenshot of the document, she said, “A bad faith, vindictive, cruel example of #TNR (transnational repression) punishing me for scholarly work on anti-minority & anti-democratic policies of #Modi rule.”
As per the passage she posted from the letter, her government charged her with “indulging in anti-India activities, driven by malice and utter disregard for facts or history.” The letter also mentioned, “Through your many hostile writings, speeches, and journalistic endeavors in various global forums and on social media platforms, you constantly attack India and its institutions on the issues of India’s sovereignty.”
According to existing OCI rules, the Indian Government may cancel an OCI registration if it discovers that the holder has expressed disaffection with the Indian Constitution.
From Srinagar to London: Kaul’s Journey and Work
Kaul’s ancestry hails from a “downtown mohalla in Srinagar, Kashmir,” according to a February 2024 announcement. Born in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, she calls the city “the land of saffron to the ‘saffronisation’ heartland.
Academically, Nitasha Kaul has an enviable CV. She has a BA Honours in Economics from SRCC, University of Delhi, an MA in Economics with a concentration in Public Policy, and a Joint PhD in Economics and Philosophy from the University of Hull, UK. She is also Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy at Westminster’s School of Social Sciences.
IMPORTANT NOTE – I received a cancellation of my #OCI (Overseas Citizenship of #India) *today* after arriving home. A bad faith, vindictive, cruel example of #TNR (transnational repression) punishing me for scholarly work on anti-minority & anti-democratic policies of #Modi rule. pic.twitter.com/7L60klIfrv
— Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) May 18, 2025
As a writer, Kaul has authored several books, such as Residue, Future Tense, and Imagining Economics Otherwise. Her novels tend to work around issues of identity, trauma, and displacement, mostly framed by Kashmir’s conflict. The judges shortlisted her first novel, Residue, for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2009. She has also co-edited Can You Hear Kashmiri Women Speak? Narratives of Resistance and Resilience.
Earlier Deportation and Entry Denial Triggered Tensions
This latest move follows a 2024 incident where Kaul was denied entry into India. The Congress-led Karnataka government reportedly invited her to speak at a conference on “democratic & constitutional values” in Bengaluru. However, immigration officials turned her away, forcing her to return to London.
In a Twitter thread in February 2024, Kaul posted, “Modi BJP govt humiliated themselves & insulted non-BJP Karnataka state govt” by “ill-treating” her. She said that she had presented a 20,000-word rejoinder in defence of herself against what she referred to as “ridiculous inanity about ‘anti-India’,” stating that the cancellation took place through a “rigged process.”
Modi BJP govt humiliated themselves & insulted non-BJP Karnataka state govt that invited me last year by ill-treating me & in spite of my 20,000 word response to their ridiculous inanity about ‘anti-India’, they have chosen to do this by a rigged process. https://t.co/xAqWIIDBUp
— Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) May 18, 2025
She supported her claims by posting a letter of invitation signed by HC Mahadevappa, Karnataka’s Social Welfare Minister. The conference, “The Constitution and Unity of India”, was to be held on February 24–25, 2024, and the letter commended her “unique vantage point and body of work.”
Harassment and Intimidation Claims Emerge
Kaul also cited being bullied for her previous academic critiques of the RSS as “a far-right Hindu nationalist paramilitary.” She shared screenshots of online threats to kill and rape her, commenting, “Rightwing #HindutvaTrolls have threatened me for years.” She said Indian officials even bullied her aged mother in India, stating, “Authorities have previously sent police to the home of my elderly sick mother to bully, although I reside in the UK.
Kaul vehemently denied being “anti-India,” restating her position as pro-democracy. “I am committed to liberal democratic values,” she stated, reaffirming her dedication towards combating “misogyny, sustainability, civil & political liberties, rule of law.”
Held at Immigration, Then Deported
Recalling her deportation in 2024, Kaul described immigration officials holding her hostage for hours before retaining her for 24 hours in a detention facility under surveillance through CCTV cameras. “A small space to sleep and no easy access to food and water… made several calls to the airport for the basics like a pillow and a blanket, which they did not give me, then 12 hours on a flight back to London,” she shared.
While the Indian government holds its tongue, the international scholarly and human rights worlds continue to respond. The incident highlights increasing tensions between national security and academic freedom narratives, especially where political dissent transcends borders.
