In a fervent appeal to safeguard the futures of Indian youth, Communist Party of India (CPI) Member of Parliament John Brittas has written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging decisive diplomatic intervention regarding the troubling wave of US visa revocations of Indian students.
The letter, addressed on Saturday, brings to light what Brittas describes as a “deeply distressing and increasingly alarming situation” faced by hundreds of Indian students currently studying in the United States. These students, he claimed, have had their visas revoked abruptly, without warning or sufficient justification—triggering widespread fear and confusion across academic circles.
Allegations of Arbitrary and Unfair Actions
According to Brittas, the reasons cited for visa cancellations are “astonishingly petty, disproportionate, and wholly incongruous with the gravity of the action taken.” The examples he outlined included minor traffic infractions such as speeding, inadvertent academic oversights without formal investigations, and even expressions on social media or in student publications—especially those addressing sensitive topics like the Palestinian conflict.
“What is particularly troubling,” Brittas stated, “is the opaque and arbitrary nature of these actions, which appear to lack both procedural fairness and proportionality.”
He also referenced cases involving minor lapses at self-checkout counters in retail stores being used to justify the revocation of visas—raising questions about the intent and integrity of the decision-making processes.
A Call for Immediate Diplomatic Engagement
Brittas emphasized the need for an urgent and coordinated diplomatic response to the US visa revocations of Indian students, urging the External Affairs Minister to engage the US Government at “the highest appropriate levels.” He called for immediate efforts to secure both clarity on the issue and reversal of the “unfair cancellations,” along with assurances that Indian students would be treated with fairness, dignity, and transparency.
“We must not allow our youth to be subjected to indignities and jeopardy on foreign soil,” Brittas wrote. “We need to stand firmly by them in their hour of crisis.”
Legal and Consular Support Requested
In addition to the diplomatic appeal, Brittas also requested that Indian missions across the US be instructed to provide full legal and consular support to those affected. This includes assistance with documentation, representation, and welfare support to help students navigate the bureaucratic and emotional turmoil caused by these developments.
Government Responds
Amid growing anxiety, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed on Thursday that Indian missions in the US are actively engaging with students whose visas are at risk or have already been revoked. He assured the public that “possible support” is being extended to help mitigate the crisis.
However, student organizations and community leaders believe a more assertive stance is needed. As one student from Texas expressed, “We’ve followed all the rules. But now it feels like our dreams are being taken away in an instant—without even a chance to explain.”
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