NEW DELHI
\nA prominent Indian activist and writer has said she was prevented from flying to Europe to speak about intimidation of journalists and rights in the world\u2019s largest democracy.
\nJournalists and activists have long complained of harassment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government has been accused of trying to silence critical reporting.
\nRana Ayyub, a fierce critic of Modi and his Hindu nationalist government, was due to take a flight to London on Tuesday and then to Italy to attend different events.
\nBut Ayyub, 37, said on Twitter that she was stopped at Mumbai airport because of an investigation by authorities into an alleged money laundering case against her.
\nThe events in Europe had \u201cbeen planned and publicised all over my social media for weeks. Yet, curiously the\u2026 summon arrived in my mail much after I was stopped at the immigration,\u201d she said.
\nAyyub has been told to appear on Friday for questioning in connection with the case, local media reports said.
\nThe Indian Enforcement Directorate, which was not immediately available for comment on Wednesday, has accused Ayyub of siphoning off money meant for coronavirus victims for her personal use.
\nAyyub, who has denied the allegations, says she has been a victim of relentless harassment by far-right Hindu groups \u2013 including rape threats \u2013 because of her reporting on issues including the marginalisation of India\u2019s minority Muslims.
\nThe International Center for Journalists expressed support for her on Tuesday, tweeting that the \u201cblatant legal harassment\u201d of Ayyub must stop.
\nAyyub wrote a book accusing Modi of being complicit in deadly sectarian violence in Gujarat in 2002, when he was state premier.
\nInvestigators cleared Modi of involvement.
\nShe has since become a commentator for The Washington Post and other media.
\nIn February UN rights experts called on the government to stop \u201cmisogynistic and sectarian\u201d online attacks against her.
\nLast week, British anthropologist Filippo Osella from the University of Sussex said he was deported by \u201cremarkably rude and unprofessional\u201d immigration officials on arrival in India without any proper explanation.
\nThe professor of anthropology and South Asian studies said he had a valid research visa and suspected his visits to Pakistan may have triggered the government\u2019s action.
\n\u201cCollaborative research projects on charities in urban Sri Lanka and education opportunities in rural Pakistan were funded by the Economic and Research Council (UK) and the British Council respectively. I have never tried to hide my short research trips to Pakistan from the scrutiny of the Indian authorities,\u201d he said.
\nThe Indian Express quoted an official from India\u2019s Foreigners Regional Registration Office as saying he was \u201cdenied entry as per orders from higher officials\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEW DELHI A prominent Indian activist and writer has said she was prevented from flying to Europe to speak about intimidation of journalists and rights in the world\u2019s largest democracy. Journalists and activists have long complained of harassment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government has been accused of trying to silence critical reporting. Rana […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-252253","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n