'What's a foreign hand doing here?' Indians outraged over German students' protesting against citizenship bill

A German exchange student in India was deported from the country after participating in demonstrations against a new citizenship bill, local media reported. Indians have been raising alarm over foreigners joining the protests.

Jakob Lindenthal, a post-graduate student in physics at the Indian Institute of Technology (ITT) in Chennai, was allegedly ordered by immigration officials to leave India after he had joined in on anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) rallies.

Photographs of Lindenthal show him hold placards reading “No democracy without dissent” and “1933-1945: We have been there” – apparently drawing parallels to Hitler’s Germany.

During one protest, he told The Hindu newspaper that India was slowly creeping toward discriminatory policies, even if the government claims otherwise. Citing Nazi Germany’s persecution of Jews, he noted that “In the beginning, [Germans] never know where it [would] all end.”

The Dresden native was summoned to Bureau of Immigration officials on Monday, where we was reportedly questioned on a range of topics, including his views on Indian politics and his stance on the ongoing protests.

Afterwards, Lindenthal was ordered to immediately leave India. He took a flight to Amsterdam hours later, local media reported. Officials inside the immigration department told media that it's a violation of visa norms for foreigners to participate in political activities.

While many social media users expressed outrage over Lindenthal’s treatment, some argued that the student’s association with “left” organizations like Chinta Bar had ruined his future prospects. 

The presence of other foreigners at the ongoing demonstrations has also sparked outrage on Twitter.

Nationwide rallies against the CAA have turned violent and have already claimed at least 21 lives, according to reports. While protesters see the law as discriminatory against Muslims, the Indian government says its sole aim is to help naturalize persecuted minorities.

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