Seattle [US], February 7: The Indian consulate in Seattle has posted on its X platform to talk about a law and order situation from what it termed as "unauthorized entry by certain individuals" into its premises after office hours creating a tense situation.
https://x.com/IndiainSeattle/status/1887721015339589809
"We were compelled to call in relevant local authorities to deal with the situation. Further action is being initiated against the trespassers," posted India In Seattle on X on February 7 (Thursday local time).
Meanwhile, Indian-American politician Kshama Sawant and a former Seattle City Council member protested outside the Indian consulate in Seattle after claiming that her visa was rejected thrice, while her husband was granted an emergency visa to visit India.
https://x.com/cmkshama/status/1887700406090014836
"My husband & I are in Seattle Indian consulate. They granted him emergency visa for my mother being very sick. But rejected mine, literally saying my name is on a 'reject list'. And refusing to give explanation why," Sawant said on X.
"We're refusing to leave. They're threatening to call the police on us."
Sawant staged a protest at the Seattle Indian Consulate, demanding answers and claiming that she was being targeted for her socialist views and criticism of the Indian government.
She alleged that her husband, Calvin Priest was granted an emergency visa to visit her ailing mother in Bengaluru, although her visa application was repeatedly rejected without "explanation."
"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," she posted on X.
Sawant, who has been a vocal critic of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), believes the visa rejection is politically motivated.
"Workers Strike Back members & I are still at Seattle Indian Consulate, doing peaceful civil disobedience, demanding explanation why my visa was rejected 3 times," she wrote on X.
She also urged people and media to support her. "Please come now: 3101, Western Avenue, Suite 700," she posted on X.
The X account India In Seattle posted, "Despite repeated requests, these individuals refused to leave the Consulate premises and engaged in aggressive and threatening behaviour with the Consulate staff."