Kshama Sawant Says India Denying Her Visa To Visit Ill Mother

India-West News Desk

SEATTLE, WA – Former Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant has accused Indian authorities of denying her visa applications twice since May 2024, preventing her from visiting her ailing mother in India. Sawant’s emergency visa request remains pending.

She believes the rejections are politically motivated, citing her outspoken views on caste issues, left-wing politics, and previous criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government.

Sawant’s mother, Vasundhara Ramanujam, 82, suffers from multiple chronic conditions. Despite submitting a letter from her mother’s doctor detailing her declining health, Sawant’s visa applications were rejected without explanation. She also reached out to India’s Minister for External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, to highlight her mother’s condition but received no response, she told The News Minute.

Sawant had applied for an e-visa in May 2024, planning a visit to India. While her husband, Calvin Priest, received his visa, Sawant’s applications were rejected on May 26 and June 27. Following these rejections, she submitted an emergency visa request at the Consulate General of India in Seattle but has yet to receive approval. Emergency visas, which are typically processed quickly for urgent family matters, have been delayed in Sawant’s case.