Single Judge Bench of Delhi High Court issues notice to Central Government and sought response with in four Week on the plea of to file reply Sweden-based Indian origin Professor Ashok Swain.
Professor Ashok Swain has moved the Delhi High Court against the Central government’s decision to cancel his Overseas Citizen of India card (OCI card).
The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the response of the Central government to the plea within four weeks and posted the case for further consideration in February 2023.
An OCI card is a granted to foreign national who are of Indian origin. An OCI cardholder is authorised to live and work in India for an indefinite period.
Swain is an academic and professor of peace and conflict research at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Sweden’s Uppsala University.
In his plea, Swain stated that his OCI card was cancelled in February 2022 because of his statements critical of the current Indian government. He maintained that he has not given any inflammatory speech.
Swain has argued that his OCI card was barred on the alleged premise that he was indulging in inflammatory speeches and anti-India activities, however, there were no specific instances or materials to substantiate the allegations.
“It is submitted that the Petitioner has never engaged in any inflammatory speeches or Anti-India activities. As a scholar it his role in the society to discuss and critique the policies of Government through his work,” Swain’s petition argued.
It added,
“Being an Academician, he analyses and criticises certain policies of the present government, mere criticism of the policies of the current ruling dispensation shall not tantamount to anti-India activities under Section 7D(e) of the Citizenship Act, 1955.”
