Saturday, actor and activist Chetan Kumar asserted that the Union government revoked his Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card and instructed him to return it within 15 days of receiving their letter.
Chetan, a US citizen, told The Deccan Era that he received a letter from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) dated March 28 instructing him to return the OCI card.
“In this regard, I will contact the Karnataka High Court and see what can be done… The letter asserted that I violated Covid-19 guidelines and criticised a judge, but I have never been found guilty of either offence. The system discourages individuals from questioning injustice and inequality. It is not the first occasion, nor will it be the last. “I will continue to fight for a better society,” he said.
The FRRO issued Chetan a show-cause notice in June 2022, requesting an explanation as to why his OCI should not be revoked. The notification stated that Chetan had made disparaging remarks about judges and engaged in “anti-national” activities. Chetan replied that he has been engaged in humanitarian work and filmmaking in India for many years and that he is married to an Indian national. However, on April 14, the Ministry of Home Affairs revoked his OCI, citing his “unsatisfactory” response to the notice, as he claimed.
Chetan stated, “The government’s actions are designed to instill terror and silence activists. The powerful do not desire to empower the oppressed. They seek to preserve the status quo. Lawsuits and other such matters frequently threaten activists like myself who attempt to make a difference. It does not surprise me.”
In March, Chetan was detained for allegedly offending religious sensibilities through a tweet, his second arrest related to a Twitter post. Shivakumar had lodged a complaint with police claiming that Chetan’s tweet offended Hindu sensibilities.
Chetan was arrested in February 2022 for allegedly insulting a Karnataka High Court justice hearing the hijab case. The police took immediate notice of his remarks and arrested him. Later, he was released on bond.
Chetan was arrested in October 2022 for claiming that ‘Bhoota Kola’, as depicted in the film Kantara, was not a Hindu custom.
Chetan, who was born and reared in the United States, has previously advocated for farmers, worker rights, Dalits, and Adivasis. He has been associated with movements to rehabilitate endosulfan victims (2013), secure homes for Kodagu-evicted tribals (2016), and, most recently, a distinct religious status for Lingayats.
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