Visa of Australian journalist Avani Dias was extended, her claim of stopping her from covering polls false, say sources

The claim of Australian journalist Avani Dias that the Indian government blocked the renewal of her visa and disallowed her from covering the ongoing Lok Sabha elections is incorrect, according to sources.

Dias, a journalist with Australia’s ABC News, has claimed that she had to leave the country after the Indian government informed her that her visa would not be extended and it became “too difficult” to work in India as a journalist.

Such actions were taken by the Indian government after a journalistic project she was working on irked New Delhi, according to Dias.

The news came days after the Indian government issued a takedown notice to YouTube for an episode of ABC’s programme Foreign Correspondent that covered the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last year, according to The Guardian. Nijjar was a designated terrorist who was the chief of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), a designated terrorist organisation. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had claimed at the time that there were “credible allegations” that the Indian government was involved. The New Delhi rejected the claim.

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‘Claims misleading & mischievous, she chose to leave India’: Sources

Refuting the allegations of Dias, sources said her visa was extended and she left at her own accord on April 20. They said her “contention that she was not allowed to cover elections and was compelled to leave the country is not correct, misleading, and mischievous”.

The sources said that Dias had violated visa rules but her visa was still extended until June.

“Ms Dias was found to have violated visa rules while undertaking her professional pursuits. Inspite of this, on her request, she was assured that her visa would be extended for the coverage of the general elections. Her previous visa was valid till 20th April 2024. She paid the visa fee on 18th April and her visa was extended till end June the same day. She, however, chose to leave India on 20th April. At the time of her departure, she held a valid visa and her extension of visa stood approved,” said the sources.

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As for the claim that she was not granted passes to cover the elections, the sources said passes are only required to access polling booths and counting stations. The sources added the request for passes could not be procedurally processed while her visa extension was under process and that her colleagues have already got their passes.

“Her point about not been given permission to cover elections is also factually incorrect. Coverage of election activities outside of booths is permitted to all Journalist Visa holders. Authority letters are required only for access to polling booths and counting stations. This, however, cannot be processed while the visa extension is under process. It is pertinent to note that other ABC correspondents —Meghna Bali and Som Patidar— have already received their letters,” said the sources.

‘Indian govt made me feel uncomfortable to make me leave’: Dias

A report in The Guardian newspaper said that while the visa was extended around 24 hours before her scheduled departure from India, Dias had to leave as it had become “too difficult” to do her job in the country. In the report, she accused the Indian government of intentionally making it difficult for her in order to make her leave.

“It felt too difficult to do my job in India. I was struggling to get into public events run by Modi’s party, the government wouldn’t even give me the passes I need to cover the election and the ministry left it all so late, that we were already packed up and ready to go,” Dias was quoted as saying.

Dias further said, “It’s all by design. The Narendra Modi government has made me feel so uncomfortable that we decided to leave. There’s always a feeling of unease that this sort of backlash could come your way as a journalist in India, I’ve felt it the whole time I’ve been here, so have my colleagues from other publications.”