India revokes OCI status of UK-based Kashmiri Prof Natasha for speaking against Modi's policies
The Indian government has revoked the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status of UK-based Kashmiri Professor Natasha Kaul for what she describes as a punishment for speaking against the Modi policies.
Professor Kaul, who teaches at a higher education institution in Westminster, shared a copy of the revocation notice on X (formerly Twitter), revealing that she received the letter upon returning home.
“Today I came home to find a letter revoking my OCI status as a foreign citizen of Indian origin,” she tweeted, describing the act as an example of state retaliation, repression and punishment for highlighting the Modi government’s undemocratic and anti-minority policies.
Know that arresting academics in #India for speaking against hate is closely tied to removing access to country & family for academics outside India.
— Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) May 18, 2025
Idea is to send a signal — don’t dare challenge us within & don’t dare analyse what’s going on to convey to audiences outside. https://t.co/Gn4DgZRBH2
Kaul holds a PhD and was born in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, though her family hails from Srinagar in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
The official order, which she posted online, accuses her of engaging in “anti-India activities” that are described as “malicious” and “devoid of facts.”
It states that “through your writings and speeches on various international platforms and social media, you have consistently targeted India’s sovereignty and institutions.”
Professor Kaul’s revocation has sparked concerns among academics and human rights activists, with many viewing it as a troubling sign of diminishing dissent in India.