German IIT Madras Exchange Student Sent Back For ‘Violating Visa Terms’ After He Joined Anti-CAA Protests

A German exchange student studying at Indian Institute of Technology - Madras (IIT-M) was reportedly sent back to Germany for participating in protests on campus and elsewhere in Chennai against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the police crackdown on students in Delhi, which “violate his visa terms”, reports NDTV.

Jakob Lindenthal, a post-graduate student of physics at IIT - M, reportedly left for Amsterdam on Monday (23 December).

As per the report, he was told by the officials that he had violated his visa provisions by participating in the protests.

According to a quote given to The Indian Express by Lindenthal, he had received oral directions to leave India from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office in Chennai.

After people started protesting against CAA, this exchange student was spotted in several protests holding a placard that read, "Uniformed Criminals = Criminals".

In another placard held up by him, he said, "1933-1945 We have been there", a reference to the period when the Nazi party held power in Germany, which in turn is also a direct dig at the present Indian government.

But by participating in protests, Lindenthal violated his visa terms and he was reportedly asked to to leave India immediately.

It cannot be confirmed if it was the institute (IIT Madras) or the central government that decided to send him away.

IIT Madras students are calling this a “shame” that such a decision was taken, given the exchange student had a semester to complete.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, in a tweet tagging Education Minister RP Nishank, said: This is dismaying. We used to be a proud democracy, an example to the world: thefederal.com/states/south/t... 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."