Ranjani Srinivasan, Indian student who was pursuing doctoral degree at the Columbia University, had to flee the United States after her student visa was revoked by the Department of State.
Ranjani Srinivasan flees the US: After her student visa was revoked, Indian student Ranjani Srinivasan, 37, was forced to flee the United States. Earlier, citing security concerns for her alleged involvement in activities supporting Hamas, the US Department of State cancelled her visa on March 5.
Ranjani Srinivasan was accused of supporting Hamas
Srinivasan found herself in trouble after the US government started a crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests. Notably, she was accused of supporting violence and links to Hamas without any proof that could substantiate the allegations against her. Things exacerbated for her after federal immigration agents arrived at her residence, compelling her to act promptly.
The Indian student, pursuing a doctoral degree in urban planning at Columbia University, decided to flee with fear and uncertainty looming over. She reportedly packed her bag and caught a flight to Canada.
Here’s what she told The New York Times
According to a media report, Srinivasan told The New York Times, “The atmosphere seemed so volatile and dangerous.” She expressed her fear, saying, “I’m fearful that even the most low-level political speech can turn into this dystopian nightmare where somebody is calling you a terrorist sympathiser and making you, literally, fear for your life and your safety.”
Her lawyers denied the accusations, and she told The New York Times that she was not involved in organising any Columbia protests.
According to the newspaper, the Department of Homeland Security said Srinivasan did not disclose two protest-related summonses on her visa renewal application last year.
Srinivasan told the newspaper she had received the summonses for allegedly refusing to disperse and obstructing foot or vehicle traffic after simply getting caught up in a crowd of protesters while trying to return to her apartment from a picnic last year.
She said she left the summonses off her renewal form because her case had been dismissed.
Columbia under immense pressure from Trump administration
Columbia has come under immense pressure from the Trump administration in recent weeks, with the US government cancelling USD 400 million in federal grants and contracts to the school, much of it for medical research, as punishment for not cracking down harder on students and faculty who criticised Israel’s military action in Gaza during large protests last spring.
(With inputs from AP)
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