New Delhi, December 24: A German exchange student studying at IIT Madras has reportedly been sent back after he participated in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the subsequent police crackdown on students.
In an interview to Indian Express, Jakob Lindenthal said that he had received directions from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office in Chennai to leave India.
Lindenthal was reportedly asked by his course coordinator to meet immigration officials, who questioned him about several issues including CAA and the protests around the contentious act. The unnamed officials then said the student had violated the rules of his visa and had to “leave India immediately”. Lindenthal boarded a flight to Germany on Monday night.
Social media has been flooded with images of Lindenthal at the protests. In one, he can be seen holding a poster that read: “1933-1945 We have been there.”
Meanwhile, opposition leaders have condemned the student’s deportation.
In a series of tweets, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said: “Is this the Republic as declared by India’s Constitution? There is no limit to how low this govt will stoop to muzzle voices. But India and the world hear the message clearly,” he tweeted.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted: ” This is dismaying. We used to be a proud democracy, an example to the world: https://thefederal.com/states/south/tamil-nadu/german-student-at-iit-m-asked-to-leave-india-for-taking-part-in-caa-protests/ No democracy punishes freedom of expression. I call on @DrRPNishank to instruct @iitmadras to withdraw the expulsion & allow India to hold its head high in the academic world.”
