On Monday 17th February, a British MP was stopped at the New Delhi airport and later deported to Dubai according to the Press Trust of India. Debbie Abrahams, Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth has been critical of the BJP led Indian government's decision on Kashmir and the revocation of Article 370. Abrahams, the Chairperson of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Kashmir in the UK was informed that her e-visa had been rejected only after she arrived at the Delhi airport.
The Indian Government sources suggest that the MP did not have a valid visa to visit India.
However, Abrahams said she was told by Delhi airport officials that the e-visa issued last October and valid until October 2020 had been rejected. In a statement, she further alleged that she was "treated like a criminal". Abrahams said,
"Along with everyone else, I presented myself at the immigration desk with my documents including my e-visa, had my photograph taken and then the official looked at his screen and started shaking his head. Then he told me my visa was rejected, took my passport and disappeared for about 10 minutes. When he came back he was very rude and aggressive, shouting at me to 'come with me'.
"I told him not to speak to me like that and was then taken to a cordoned off area marked as a Deportee Cell. He then ordered me to sit down and I refused. I didn't know what they might do or where else they may take me, so I wanted people to see me.
"Even the person who seemed to be in charge said he didn't know and was really sorry about what had happened. So now I am just waiting to be deported... unless the Indian Government has a change of heart. I'm prepared to let the fact that I've been treated like a criminal go, and I hope they will let me visit my family and friends."
Ms Abrahams' timeline has several posts critical of the Kashmir decision.
Now, the Indian High Commission in London has clarified that immigration officials in Delhi had deported British MP Debbie Abrahams because she “did not hold a valid visa”, and that there was “no provision for visa on arrival for UK nationals”.
This had created a massive controversy on Twitter with Indian ministers and officials both from the BJP and Congress tweeting about it. Pakistani President also took to Twitter for a potshot at India. In an apparent reference to Kashmir, he said, “The world will find out despite India’s attempt to hide its atrocities.”
“We are gravely concerned at the announcement by Indian Home Minister, Amit Shah, that Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, has been removed by Presidential Order,” said the letter to UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.
