[INDOLOGY] Anthropologist Filippo Osella Deported After Arriving at Kerala Airport; No Reasons Cited

[Periannan Chandrasekaran]

https://thewire.in/rights/anthropologist-filippo-osella-deported-after-arriving-at-kerala-airport-no-reasons-cited



RIGHTS
<https://thewire.in/category/rights/all>
Anthropologist Filippo Osella Deported After Arriving at Kerala Airport; No
Reasons Cited

The UK academic, who has written extensively on Kerala for the last 30
years, was to attend a conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.
[image: Anthropologist Filippo Osella Deported After Arriving at Kerala
Airport; No Reasons Cited]

Filippo Osella. Photo: Facebook.
3 HOURS AGO

New Delhi: Filippo Osella, a well-known anthropologist and sociologist, who
arrived at Thiruvananthapuram international airport from the UK on
Thursday, March 24, morning to attend a conference in the city was deported
to his home country with authorities specifying no particular reason for
the same,* Indian Express
<https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chennai/renowned-anthropologist-filipo-osella-deported-after-arrival-at-kerala-airport-7834355/>*
has
reported.

Osella, who has carried out extensive research on social and cultural
transformations in Kerala over the last 30 years, was touted as the face of
the conference to be held on Friday in the city on “emerging themes
connected to the livelihood and lifeworld of Kerala coastal communities”.

When asked about Osella’s deportation, an immigration officer at the
Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs) in Thiruvananthapuram
airport said the reason for his deportation cannot be revealed.

“He was denied entry as per the orders from higher officials. No reason can
be revealed,” the officer said.

According to Osella, he was told to contact flight assistants when he
reached Thiruvananthapuram airport on an Emirates flight on Thursday
morning. He was then led to a person who was waiting for him outside.

“I was taken to the immigration desks, and processed as it is normally
done. But after they scanned my passport, took my photo and fingerprints,
they told me that I was not allowed to enter India, and that I would be
deported immediately,” said Osella. “Indeed, the decision had already been
taken prior to my arrival, as an Emirates employee was already there to
arrange my deportation via Dubai flight.”

When asked if he was given any reason for his deportation, Osella said,
“The immigration personnel and the immigration supervisor were extremely
unfriendly and impolite. They refused to explain why I was not allowed in,
and deported. Only said that it was ‘a government of India decision/order’.”

The conference, which is scheduled from Friday to Sunday, covers various
aspects pertaining to coastal communities in Kerala. It is jointly
organised by Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), Centre
for Development Studies (CDS Thiruvananthapuram), Inter University Center
for Alternative Economics, University of Kerala, and the University of
Sussex.

The organisers of the conference too were surprised by the news of Osella’s
deportation, wondering what could be the reason behind such move, and
pointed out that there wasn’t any “politically sensitive” topic drafted for
the conference.

“Neither the conference nor the organisers had anything politically
sensitive as it is jointly organised with government agencies, universities
and some of the top academics specialised in the area,” said one of the
organisers.

Regards

Periannan Chandrasekaran
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