German Student Expelled By IIT-Madras For Joining Protests Against CAA

Jakob Lindenthal, a German national, who had come to India under a student exchange programme, was allegedly asked to leave the country for participating in a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The postgraduate student of physics at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT Madras) was seen at one of the protests by students on the campus against the CAA and NRC. He was seen holding a poster that read ¡°1933 to 1945; We Have Been There,¡± referring to how Jews were targeted and eventually led to the holocaust in Nazi Germany under Hitler.

Many who are opposed to the CAA and NRC also had pointed out how they are similar to what was done to the Jews in Germany under Hitler. Another sign that he was holding read: 'Uninformed criminals = criminals'.

There is also another video of him explaining his reason for taking part in the protest.

After Lindenthal was seen participating in the protests, he was reportedly summoned by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office and was asked to leave the country on Monday. He was told that taking part in the protest was in violation of visa rules.

¡°There were apparently administration issues with my visa. After ruling these out, I was extensively questioned by the immigration officer about my political opinions. Then I was informed about the decision,¡± he told News18.

Lindenthal, who had to complete one more semester at IIT Madras as part of the exchange programme left for Amsterdam on Monday. "I have been 'banned' from India," Jakob told The New Indian Express before he left. "I have no confirmation about the ban, but I have been threatened with deportation," he alleged.

"It has come to our notice that, Jakob Lindenthal, an MS exchange student from Germany in the Department of Physics at IIT Madras has been asked to leave the country by the immigration department regarding his participation in the anti CAA protests. ChintaBAR extends solidarity and gratitude to Jakob, for being part of struggles to protect the rights of people in this country and his concern for humanity," ChintaBAR a students body at IIT Madras said in a Facebook post.

"Jakob Lindenthal, a German exchange student from IIT Madras, has been ordered to leave by the immigration department because he participated in the anti-CAA protests in Chennai. APSC strongly condemns this action by the government and stands in solidarity with Jakob," Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, IIT Madras, another student's body wrote on Facebook.