Former Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant has claimed that the Indian government has denied her a visa, preventing her from visiting her ailing mother in India. In a post on X last week, Sawant stated, “India’s PM Modi & the BJP government are denying me a visa to see my ill mother. I’m not alone. Modi has retaliated against other activists & journalists, denying or revoking entry into India.” She linked the alleged visa denial to her past criticism of the Indian government, particularly her opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
India's PM Modi & the BJP government are denying me a visa to see my ill mother.
I’m not alone. Modi has retaliated against other activists & journalists, denying or revoking entry into India.
Sign the petition. Urge Modi to stop this retaliation. https://t.co/pnLOLW5IHb
My…
— Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) February 1, 2025
However, did you know that the anti-CAA activist threw her grandpa under the bus to score political brownie points. She pushed for Seattle to include caste in its anti-discrimination laws, citing an incident from her childhood—claiming that, at six years old, she heard her grandfather use a “slur” to summon their lower-caste maid. Of course, her grandfather never had the chance to defend himself against this accusation. When political agendas are at stake, some people will say anything to justify their cause. Imagine a 6 year old being able to remember such minute details!
Never forget that this Kshama is the same person who threw her own grandfather under the bus to score political brownie points. When she wanted to force Seattle to add caste to their anti discrimination laws – the example she gave was of her own past as a 6 year old hearing her… https://t.co/uR6b5P2fdH pic.twitter.com/nCXx0V07f5
— Savitri Mumukshu – सावित्री मुमुक्षु (@MumukshuSavitri) February 7, 2025
Now she wants the Indian government to give her a visa to visit her allegedly ailing mother. Earlier, along with her husband, the duo created a ruckus outside the Indian consulate in Seattle. Her cronies recorded a video of her and her husband ranting against the Modi administration.
She even invoked Mahatma Gandhi and spoke about India being a country of civil disobedience. In the video, she is seen saying, “They are threatening to call the police on us. They kept saying this is not the way. We said aren’t you from the same country that I was born in, the country of Mahatma Gandhi, a country of civil disobedience which was integral to India’s revolution for independence from the British empire?”
Hehehe … this video is so fingerlickingly delicious. Kshama Sawant & her cucksband are citing mahatma Gandhi and displaying their furious impotence outside the Indian consulate in Seattle. Comeuppance is ❤️ pic.twitter.com/IHo2gdr6bw
— Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) February 7, 2025
The Indian Consulate in Seattle posted on their official X handle about the ruckus that Sawant and her husband had been creating at the premises. They wrote, “Today, the Consulate was forced to deal with a law and order situation arising from the unauthorized entry by certain individuals into the Consulate premises after office hours. Despite repeated requests, these individuals refused to leave the Consulate premises and engaged in aggressive and threatening behaviour with the Consulate staff. We were compelled to call in relevant local authorities to deal with the situation. Further action is being initiated against the trespassers.”
Today, the Consulate was forced to deal with a law and order situation arising from the unauthorized entry by certain individuals into the Consulate premises after office hours.
Despite repeated requests, these individuals refused to leave the Consulate premises and engaged in…
— India In Seattle (@IndiainSeattle) February 7, 2025
Background
This denial of a visa comes amid Sawant’s history of controversial political actions. In February 2020, Sawant was behind a Seattle City Council resolution condemning India’s CAA and NRC. The resolution, which passed unanimously, reaffirmed Seattle as a welcoming city, expressing solidarity with the city’s South Asian community, regardless of religion and caste. It opposed the CAA and NRC, calling them discriminatory to Muslims, oppressed castes, women, indigenous, and LGBT people.
The resolution called on the Indian Parliament to repeal the CAA, halt the NRC, and ratify various UN treaties to aid refugees. Ahsan Khan, president of the Indian American Muslim Council, praised the move, stating that Seattle’s decision should serve as a message to those undermining pluralism and religious freedom. Thenmozhi Soundararajan of Equality Labs also expressed support, framing Seattle’s action as part of a global outcry against the CAA.
In February 2023, Sawant sponsored another controversial resolution, making Seattle the first city in the United States to officially recognize “caste” as a protected category under its non-discrimination policy. The ordinance was criticized by Hindu organizations for singling out South Asians, potentially leading to bias against the community.
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