Former Seattle City Council member of Indian origin, Kashma Sawant, has accused Indian authorities of not approving her visa requests twice after May 2024. She said she wants to visit India to visit her ailing mother but Indian authorities are denying her visa. According to Sawant, Indian authorities have also not yet taken a decision on her request for an emergency visa. She believes that the Indian authorities’ denial of visa is politically motivated as she has been outspoken on caste issues and right-wing politics. She has been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government. Swati’s 82-year-old mother, Vasundhara Ramanujam, is suffering from multiple ailments. According to Sawant, her visa request was rejected without giving any reason despite a letter from the doctor treating her mother about her deteriorating health. Sawant has said that he had also reached out to Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and informed him about his mother’s health, but there was no response.
