Indian Government Refuses Visa Extension to Australian Journalist Avani Dias, Citing "crossed a line"

 Dias disclosed that although she managed to secure a two-month extension with the assistance of the Australian government

Digital Desk: Australian journalist Avani Dias, the South Asia Bureau Chief for ABC News, departed from India on April 19th, asserting that the Indian government refused to extend her visa, citing that her reports had "crossed a line." 

Dias disclosed that although she managed to secure a two-month extension with the assistance of the Australian government, it came just a day before her scheduled departure from the country.

In a social media post, Dias expressed, "Last week, I had to leave India abruptly. The Modi government told me my visa extension would be denied, saying my reporting 'crossed a line.' 

After Australian Government intervention, I got a mere two-month extension... less than 24 hours before my flight." She further revealed that her election accreditation was also hindered due to a directive from the Indian Ministry, instigating her departure on the first day of voting in the national election.

ABC News, Dias' employer, stated that she was informed of the visa extension denial through a phone call from an official at the Ministry of External Affairs, who mentioned that her recent episode of "Foreign Correspondent" had "crossed a line." This decision followed the blocking of Dias' report on the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada on YouTube in India.

Ministry of Home Affairs, under which the Foreigners Registration Office operates and is responsible for the visa process for foreign journalists. 

“An Indian government official who declined to be named described Dias’s contention that she wasn’t allowed to cover India’s general election and was compelled to leave the country as “not correct”. The official added, “She left because she had to meet the timeline for another job offer in Australia. The reason for her leaving was not delay in issuance of visa but personal reasons,” the Hindustan Times reports.