Kerala CM writes to PM Modi to look into deportation of UK anthropologist
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to look into the "distressful" deportation of Filippo Osella, an anthropologist and academician from the UK, when he arrived in the southern state for a seminar.
Vijayan, in his letter, has requested the Prime Minister to "kindly look into this matter with the seriousness it deserves and issue instructions to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future".
Osella, Professor of Anthropology and South Asian Studies at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom (UK), had arrived in Kerala on March 24 to attend a seminar at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).
However, he was deported on arrival at the Thiruvananthapuram airport.
"It is distressful that a reputed scholar like Prof. Osella had to face deportation at the Thiruvananthapuram airport when he arrived for participating in a seminar in Kochi," the CM said in his letter.
He further said the professor has conducted extensive research work in many places including in Kerala, where he is researching traditional fishing activities.
Vijayan said, in his letter, that India "has a rich tradition of welcoming foreign scholars and social scientists" for research purposes here and they have produced "valuable" publications. "We need to continue this tradition of being friendly and welcoming to scholars," he said.
Osella's recent research examines contemporary transformation of South Indian Muslims with field-work in Kozhikode and in a number of Gulf countries.
His new research, funded by the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme, explores new ways to make traditional fishing in Kerala safer and sustainable by co-producing knowledge on marine weather and fish resources with traditional fishermen and weather forecasters.
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Hijab decision taken out of fear of Karnataka Muslim convention, alleges Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru: Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy has alleged that the Karnataka government announced its decision on the hijab issue out of fear of the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on May 16 organized by Federation of Karnataka Muslim Organisations.
Addressing a press conference at the JD(S) state office, GP Bhavan, in Bengaluru on Thursday, Kumaraswamy said he respects all religions and has expressed his views on the issue on several public platforms in the past.
Questioning the timing of the government’s move, he said the Congress has been in power for three years and had taken no decision on the hijab issue during that period.
He alleged that the decision was taken only because the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ is scheduled to be held at Town Hall in Bengaluru on May 16.
“If the government had the courage, it should have taken this decision immediately after coming to power. Why did it remain silent for three years?” he asked.
Kumaraswamy accused the Congress of making the announcement to appease a particular community.
He further said the matter is still pending before the courts and claimed that an interim order relating to the hijab issue remains in force.
According to him, issuing such an order before the legal proceedings are concluded amounts to disrespect towards the judiciary.
Kumaraswamy also alleged that the Congress brought the issue back into focus after the Davanagere by-election results.
