A student from Germany studying Master of Science (Physics) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras was asked to leave the country on Monday (December 23) for participating in a series of protests against the amended Citizenship Act.

Jakob Lindenthal from Germany’s Dresden joined the MS programme in August this year under an exchange program. Speaking to The Federal, Jakob said immigration officials confronted him for participating in the protests and asked him to leave the country.

He said the staff in his department had informed him he was summoned by the immigration office. “I went there and the initial conversation was friendly. So I told them everything. Soon, they started confronting me on why I participated in protests held against the Citizenship Act in Chennai. Only then I realised things were getting serious,” Jakob said.

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“They told me the protests held in the city were all without permission. And of all, I do not have any permission to participate in such protests as I have come here on students’ visa,” Jakob added. Though the officials did not explicitly mention they were interrogating him for participating in the protests, Jakob said he got the hint when they questioned him about CAB and the protests regarding it.

“Only then I came to know that all the protests that took place in the city were illegal,” he said. “I have come here on students’ visa. According to its rules, whatever I do apart from studying is a violation of the visa. So, I cannot take part in such protests.” After a long discussion that continued from morning till afternoon, Jakob was asked to leave India as early as possible. “I offered an immediate apology but the officials did not consider it,” he said.

He further alleged the discussions were not transparent and he wasn’t even told the names of the interrogating officials. “There was a leaflet on the table. I expected them to give it to me. But, when asked, they refused and asked me to leave. I did not even know the name of the immigration officials who spoke to me,” he claimed. He said he was also disappointed by the approach of the immigration officials.

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Jakob was supposed to take 8:45 pm flight from Chennai to New Delhi, but it was delayed due to technical reasons. He said he was scheduled to take a 3 am flight from New Delhi to Amsterdam.

As per the terms of the exchange programme, Jakob was slated to study two semesters in India and rest of the course in Germany. However, he had completed only one semester. “The actual period of his course was till May, 2020,” said another IIT-M student.

Though no official reason was stated by the immigration department, students believe it was because he had protested against the contentious Act. One of Jakob’s classmates, who accompanied him during a protest in Chennai, said police had collected his details when he was protesting outside the campus.

“He did not only protest inside the campus against the amended law, but also participated in the demonstrations organised in Valluvar Kottam and other places in Chennai,” Azhar, another friend of Jakob, told The Federal. Azhar said Jakob also took part in protests demanding a proper inquiry into the suicide of IIT student Fathima, who was found dead in her hostel room last month.

Another student said Jakob also helped other protesters even when he himself was not a part of that certain demonstration. “During one such strike inside the campus, when the protesters were finding it difficult to stay outside, he helped them by providing tents and towels,” recalled another student.

Sources in Chennai police said Jakob was part of a students’ movement inside the campus. However, they refused to divulge more details about it.

The action by the immigration officials is a fallout of a report by the Dean of Students. The Federal couldn’t reach him for a comment.