THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following the deportation of renowned anthropologist Filippo Osella from Thiruvananthapuram airport, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveying the state's indignance over the matter.
The CM in his letter wrote that it was distressing that a reputed scholar like Osella had to face deportation when he arrived for participating in a seminar in Kochi. The letter said the country has a rich tradition of welcoming foreign scholars and social scientists, who showed interest in conducting extensive field studies in various places covering diverse aspects of the social life and economy.
"These scholars have produced valuable research publications. We need to continue this tradition of being friendly and according a welcome to scholars," the CM wrote.
Pinarayi urged the PM to view the matter with utmost seriousness and issue instructions to prevent the reoccurrence of similar incidents in the future.
Osella was deported after he landed at Thiruvananthapuram airport on March 24. The noted scholar, who has a long association with the state starting in the 1980s, had alleged that he was shown no reasons for being refused entry to the country and said the immigration officials behaved rudely toward him.