The Norwegian woman who took part in a protest against the citizenship act in Kerala, has been asked to leave India. Janne Mette-Johannson arrived from Norway on a tourist visa two months ago.
The Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which regulates the registration, movement and stay of foreign nationals in India, said that its enquiry found Johannson “violated visa norms and so she was asked to go back”, according to news agency PTI.
The FRRO had summoned 74-year-old Johannson on Thursday, and questioned her about being present in an anti-CAA protest in Kochi on December 23. During questioning she reportedly told officials that she had approached a local police station in Kochi and told about her intention to participate in the rally and they verbally gave her the go-ahead. She later told a regional newspaper that “questioning session was really time-consuming and belittling”.
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In a Facebook post on Friday, Johannson said an immigration officer came to her hotel this morning and said he will not leave till the time he sees a ticket in her hand. “A couple of hours back the Bureau of Immigration showed up at my hotel again. I was told to leave the country at once, or legal actions would be taken. I asked for an explanation and also something in writing. I was told I would not get anything in writing. The officer from the Bureau is not leaving me before he can see that I have a flight ticket. Now pretty soon on my way to the airport. A friend fixing a flight ticket to Dubai and from there catching a flight back home to Sweden,” her post read.
{{/usCountry}}In a Facebook post on Friday, Johannson said an immigration officer came to her hotel this morning and said he will not leave till the time he sees a ticket in her hand. “A couple of hours back the Bureau of Immigration showed up at my hotel again. I was told to leave the country at once, or legal actions would be taken. I asked for an explanation and also something in writing. I was told I would not get anything in writing. The officer from the Bureau is not leaving me before he can see that I have a flight ticket. Now pretty soon on my way to the airport. A friend fixing a flight ticket to Dubai and from there catching a flight back home to Sweden,” her post read.
{{/usCountry}}This comes days after a German exchange student was asked to leave the country after he took part in protests against the new citizenship law. A photo circulated on Twitter shows Lindenthal holding a sign that reads: “1933-1945 We have been there,” a reference to Nazi Germany.
Johannson, a regular visitor to India since 2014, said her visa is valid till March 2020.
On Monday, Johannson had taken part in a rally against CAA which was attended by many writers, film personalities and rights activists. After the rally she posted a photo and wrote that the rally was well-organised and peaceful. “No riots, just people determined, lifting up their voices. Police were really helpful during this protest march,” said her post. On Christmas Day, she had also attended a morning mass at a church in Kochi.
Johannson has now said she is not going to post any more about her travel in India. “To my friends #HereThereAndEverywhere. I will not be posting more on FB during my travelling in beautiful India.I thank you all for having followed me on my journey.But now a time to be private,” she said on Facebook.