As Indian nationals face the ire of US authorities for supporting Hamas, the Indian govt said Friday it expects Indian nationals abroad to comply with local laws and regulations. The govt also said that neither Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University teacher detained earlier this week, or Ranjini Srinivasan, who had fled to Canada earlier fearing action, had contacted Indian authorities for help.
“Neither the US govt nor this individual has approached us or the Embassy. If they get in touch with us, then we will see how to best engage in this particular matter,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, speaking about Suri. Asked about the cancellation of Ranjana’s visa, the official recalled India’s position that “when it comes to visa and immigration policy, it is something that lies within the sovereign functions of a country”.
“We, on our side, we expect that when we have foreign nationals coming to India, they abide by our laws and regulations. And similarly, it is our expectation that when Indian nationals are abroad, they must also comply with local laws and regulations,” added the official. Suri had been detained for allegedly spreading “Hamas propaganda“.
