Padma Shree awardee Friederike Irina Bruning, aka Sudevi Mataji, has threatened to return her award after her visa extension request was rejected by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

External Affairs Minister Sushma has asked for a report in the matter after it came to her notice.

Thanks for bringing this to my notice. I have asked for a report. -

Denied visa extension, German Padma Shri awardee threatens to return award https://t.co/oraM71HTPj via @timesofindia

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 26, 2019

According to a report by The Print, Sudevi’s visa expires on 25 June. She runs a cow shelter in Mathura and told the website that she has been talking to the local authorities for what her next step should be. “What is the point of this award if i can’t stay here and take care of cows,” she said. She said that her application was rejected by the MEA’s Lucknow office without giving any reasons.

According to The Print, Sudevi had not gotten any calls or messages from the Foreign Affairs Ministry till the time of writing the article (26 May, 5:16 pm). She, however said that she will be grateful to EAM Sushma Swaraj if she intervenes in her case.

Also Read: You Can Love Cows Without Killing Humans, Says Sudevi Dasi

Krishna Devotee, Came to Mathura in Search of Answers

A Krishna devotee and a Padma Shri awardee, Sudevi arrived at the temple town of Mathura around 40 years ago, in search of answers to the pressing questions of life.

" “In Bhagavad Gita, I found answers to the big questions in my life and realised that only a guru can guide me to the right path. So, I took diksha and started living here in Mathura, when I came across a stray cow on the streets.”" - Sudevi Dasi

She took the cow home and what started with one cow around 40 years back, now houses over 1,800 cows.

Sudevi had decided to stop taking in more cows when her gaushala ran out of space. But the 61-year-old “couldn’t just stop.” Today, she spends around Rs 30,000,000 per month on the welfare of cows – a part of which comes from her father in Germany.

Also Read: Meet Sudevi Dasi, a German Gau Rakshak in Mathura

(With inputs from The Print)

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