Indian Consulate in US denies visa to 'trespasser' Kshama Sawant

New York: The Indian Consulate at Seattle said it was “forced to deal with a law and order situation” arising out of an unauthorised entry of certain individuals into its premises after office hours on Thursday.

One of the individuals that the consulate referred to is Kshama Sawant, whose bio on X mentions that she has been a Seattle City Council Member from 2014 to 2023.

A video of the incident doing rounds on the social media shows Sawant, and a person with her, claiming that she was denied a visa to go to India as she was on the “reject list.”

NOW: Kshama Sawant and members of Workers Strike Back are engaging in a peaceful sit-in at the Consulate of India in Seattle, demanding answers for why @cmkshama’s visa has been denied a third time, and why she has been told that the Modi government has placed her on a “reject… pic.twitter.com/a7nZk7HUeL

— Workers Strike Back (@wrkrsstrikeback) February 7, 2025

Calling them as “trespassers,” the Indian Consulate posted on X: “Despite repeated requests, these individuals refused to leave the Consulate premises and engaged in aggressive and threatening behaviour with the Consulate staff. We were compelled to call in relevant local authorities to deal with the situation.”

Today, the Consulate was forced to deal with a law and order situation arising from the unauthorized entry by certain individuals into the Consulate premises after office hours.

Despite repeated requests, these individuals refused to leave the Consulate premises and engaged in…

— India In Seattle (@IndiainSeattle) February 7, 2025

“Further action is being initiated against the trespassers,” the post added.

Sawant too took to X and posted: “A Consular officer said I'm being denied a visa coz I'm on Modi govt's ‘reject list.’ It's clear why. My socialist City Council office passed a resolution condemning Modi's anti-Muslim anti-poor CAA-NRC citizenship law. We also won a historic ban on caste discrimination.”

A Consular officer said I'm being denied a visa coz I'm on Modi govt's "reject list."

It's clear why.

My socialist City Council office passed a resolution condemning Modi's anti-Muslim anti-poor CAA-NRC citizenship law. We also won a historic ban on caste discrimination.…

— Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) February 7, 2025