Indian-American Kshama Sawant, a former member of the Seattle city council, has been denied visas twice by indian officials, which has prevented her from traveling to see her elderly mother who needs immediate medical care. Despite Sawant's pleas emphasizing her mother's dire health condition and her need to be present for care, the denials still occurred. Additionally, a recent application for an emergency visa has not yet been granted.

Kshama has claimed that the refusal of her visa is revenge for her caste views, her Left-leaning political views, and her previous criticism of prime minister Narendra Modi and the Union administration. She included a note from her mother's physician in a letter she sent to minister for External Affairs (MEA) S jaishankar last year, but she never heard back. TNM's questions were also not answered by the Ministry.
 
She said in an interview with india Herald that her visa applications had been denied twice since May 2024 for no apparent reason. According to Kshama, indian authorities have also not responded to her recent emergency visa application.
 
Kshama's mother, Vasundhara Ramanujam (82), has been receiving medication for atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic renal disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease for the past two years, according to the doctor's letter. According to the letter, Vasundhara needs Kshama's immediate attention because her health is fast declining.
 
Kshama participated in the 2023 campaign to make Seattle the first city in the united states to declare caste a protected category, a move that would shield members of lower castes from prejudice.
 
In 2023, Kshama's ten-year tenure came to an end. "I was an elected official in the united states for ten years," she stated, adding, "I have a sense that the indian authorities thought that greater criticism would be directed at them if they reacted against me while I was in office. I am thus not shocked that my initial visa application after leaving the office was the occasion on which they reacted.
 
She continues by saying that thus far, even in june 2022, she and her husband, Calvin Priest, have been able to go to india without any issues. Calvin has been given a visa and is now scheduled to fly to india with Kshama.
 
Kshama initially intended to travel to india between june 26 and July 15, 2024. In light of this, she submitted an e-visa application in May of that year. Foreigners are given e-visas for business, leisure, sightseeing, seeing friends or family, receiving medical care, or participating in short-term yoga courses. On May 26, the first denial occurred. All that was said in the notification was that the visa had been denied. There was no explanation given. On june 27, Kshama reapplied but was rejected a second time; however, Calvin was given a visa. No justification was offered for the denial this time either.
 
Kshama says she requested an emergency visa at the indian Consulate General in Seattle three weeks ago, unsure of what to do. US passport holders of indian descent are granted emergency visas in the event of a family member's death or serious illness. According to Kshama, emergency visas are normally issued in two or three days. However, she is experiencing an excessive delay. suresh Sharma, an employee at the Consulate, had promised her that he would at least investigate the situation. He has reportedly stopped returning calls, though.
 
"This political revenge is the only option left to me. If not, there is a very simple and direct method to disprove my assertions. All they need to do is give me the visa," Kshama says to india Herald.
 
 

 
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Kshama Sawant

SIBY JEYYA

05/02/2025 09:24 AM