DEBBIE ABRAHAMS, a Labour Party Member of British Parliament, who also chairs a Parliamentary group focused on Kashmir, was reportedly denied entry to India on Monday (17) after she landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
Her aide Harpreet Upal told the Associated Press that the MP was unable to clear customs after her valid Indian visa was rejected.
“Just to be clear, I have Indian relatives who I was meant to be visiting with & have Indian members of staff accompanying me. The reason I got into politics is advance social justice & human rights FOR ALL. I will continue to challenge my Government & others on these issues,” Debbie Abrahams wrote on Twitter.
Just to be clear, I have Indian relatives who I was meant to be visiting with & have Indian members of staff accompanying me. The reason I got into politics is advance social justice & human rights FOR ALL. I will continue to challenge my own Government & others on these issues.
— Debbie Abrahams (@Debbie_abrahams) February 17, 2020
Upal said the immigration officials did not cite any reason for denying Abrahams entry and revoking her visa, which was valid till October 2020.
Abrahams has been a member of Parliament since 2011 and was on a two-day personal trip to India.
Abrahams has been an outspoken critic of the Indian government’s move last August to scrap Article 370 in Kashmir.
“I’m prepared to let the fact that I have been treated like a criminal go and I hope they will let me visit my family and friends,” she said in a statement.
In response to some of the comments I was planning to visit Indian family in Dehli accompanied by my Indian aide. I became a politician to promote social justice & human rights FOR ALL. I will continue to challenge my own Government & others while injustice & abuse is unchecked https://t.co/YvCOPDmfeB
— Debbie Abrahams (@Debbie_abrahams) February 17, 2020
Incidentally, India took more than 20 foreign diplomats on a visit to Kashmir last week, the second such trip organized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in six months.
