People's Democracy

CPI(M) MP Intervenes in Unjust Deportation Case

ON January 5, Brinda Karat, a member of parliament (Rajya Sabha), met P Chidambaram, the minister for home affairs, government of India, at his office in connection with the Nitu Singh case. The minister informed her that the central government had no information on the matter nor any files or records pertaining to the case. He also informed that he had asked for the files from Maharashtra and will take appropriate action after going through the papers.

One notes that Nitu Singh was in her final year in the FTII, Pune and is an ICCR scholarship student, was recently deported to Nepal,

The minister�s response was to a letter sent by Brinda Karat on January 2. The letter pointed out that this appeared to be a case related to domestic circumstances and that it could by no means be categorised as an issue of national security leading to the deportation of the young woman concerned.

The letter read:

This is to request your help in an unjust case of deportation of a 32 year old ICCR scholarship student from Nepal, Nitu Singh who was in her final year in the FTII, Pune. 

Nitu was picked up from her hostel on the night of December 5, 2009 by local police, her belongings were forcibly packed and she was put on a flight to Nepal the following day. The local police have alleged that she was deported due to �national security� reasons. However, it is apprehended that her deportation is a result of her domestic circumstances. She is allegedly a victim of domestic violence at the hands of her husband, a well connected politician in Nepal. Her parents had also sided with her husband. According to information confirmed by the police in Maharashtra, her father had written several letters to the police in Pune asking for their help in deporting Nitu back to Nepal. How a case of domestic �dispute� becomes a case concerning �national security� is a question that requires investigation, and I request you to kindly look into the matter so as to prevent such misuse in the future. 

However, what is of immediate concern is that Nitu should not be prevented from returning to Pune to complete her final project. She must be allowed to do so. The director of the institute has also written to the police in this connection. There has never been a complaint against her by the authorities in the institute.

I request you to kindly intervene in the matter so that the young woman�s future should not become hostage to patriarchal notions which seek to punish a woman for asserting her own choices in issues concerning her personal life. It is unthinkable that in democratic India an adult woman should be deported simply because her husband and parents wish her to obey them, and further that this should be projected by our law enforcement agencies as being a matter of national security.

Incidentally, I received a letter from her father today in which he admits that he was misled by his son-in-law and that he would like Nitu to finish her studies. I enclose a copy of the letter.

I also enclose a summary of the case prepared by the All India Democratic Women�s Association in Maharashtra who have been helping Nitu in her struggle for justice.

With regards and best wishes for the New Year. (INN)