Emails Flood US Congressmembers’ Inboxes — Demand for Kshama Sawant’s Visa Approval Gains Momentum

New Delhi- A surge of emails from activists, workers, and progressive groups is flooding the inboxes of U.S. Congressmembers, demanding that they take a firm stand against the Indian government's alleged political retaliation against socialist leader and former Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant.

The emails, addressed to Congressmembers Adam Smith, Pramila Jayapal, and Ro Khanna, urge them to publicly call out the Modi government for blacklisting Sawant and denying her a travel visa to visit her ailing 82-year-old mother in India. Kshama's mother Vasundhara Ramanujam is under treatment in a Bengaluru hospital since 2 years for Atrial Fibrillation, COPD, Chronic kidney disease, Diabetes mellitus, Hypertension and Ischemic heart disease.

The campaign, spearheaded by Workers Strike Back, calls on lawmakers to press the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime to stop its crackdown on critics by denying visas, revoking residency rights, and blacklisting individuals for speaking against its right-wing policies.

What’s the Controversy About?

Kshama Sawant had been Seattle City Council member from 2014 to-2023. A well-known socialist and founder of Workers Strike Back, Kshama has been denied an Indian visa three times, with the latest rejection coming despite her mother’s severe health condition. The Indian Consulate in Seattle informed her that she is on the government’s “reject list”, without providing any explanation.

Sawant’s supporters argue that the visa denial is a clear case of political retaliation by the Modi-led government, which has long opposed her outspoken stance on issues such as the anti-Muslim Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), India’s farmers’ protests, and caste-based discrimination.

In 2023, Sawant successfully pushed for a historic ban on caste discrimination in Seattle, the first of its kind in the U.S.—a move that was strongly opposed by Hindu right-wing groups aligned with the Modi regime.

Adding to the controversy, while Sawant’s visa was denied, her husband Calvin Priest was granted approval—further strengthening claims that the rejection was politically motivated.

Growing International Pressure

The mounting email campaign is now putting pressure on Democratic Congressmembers to take a stand against the Modi government’s alleged suppression of dissent. Activists argue that U.S. lawmakers cannot claim to oppose right-wing authoritarianism under Trump while turning a blind eye to similar tactics being used by Modi against critics of his government.

Sawant’s case is not an isolated one—several activists, scholars, and journalists, including Ashok Swain, Aatish Taseer, and Nitasha Kaul, have faced visa denials or had their Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status revoked for their criticism of the BJP government.

With the email campaign gaining traction, activists are demanding an official statement from U.S. lawmakers condemning Modi’s actions and calling for Sawant’s visa approval. "U.S. Congressmembers, especially those who claim to oppose Trump and the right wing, have an obligation to publicly demand that this retaliation be stopped, and that Kshama and other activists not be barred from traveling to India", the emails read.

The fight for Kshama Sawant’s right to visit her mother is now turning into a broader global battle for political freedoms, as progressives rally against what they see as a dangerous pattern of suppression by the Modi government.