Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj came to the aid of 90-year-old US citizen Kantaben, who was born in India, and was being forced to leave India since her visa had expired.
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On Monday, Swaraj tweeted that "Kantaben will not have to leave India. We will resolve this for good."
Kantaben's issue was brought to Swaraj's notice after a newspaper report. She was reportedly sent to India by her younger son on an expired visa in November 2016. She was given a 72-hour visa, but she is still in Gujarat.
On January 12, the Foreign Regional Registration Officer told Kantaben to arrange a ticket back to the US and appear before them as soon as possible. The 90-year-old, who had been living in Oklahoma with her elder son, doesn't want to go back.
Kanta Ben will not have to leave India. We will resolve this for good. https://t.co/bV0dD9VSkD
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) January 30, 2017
Kantaben said that she has "no one to talk to" there, but being a US citizen she has to return, which with Sushma Swaraj's intervention will now be stopped.
"I have made representations to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh for my stay in India. Help me out as I am in no position to go back to the USA and stay with my younger son," she told TOI.
She had earlier contacted the ministers, but hadn't received any response. She said that she was born in India and spent her life in Ahmedabad before going to the US.
"I have no one to talk to in the US. I am forced to live in the motel run by my son as the house is so deserted," she said.
Her older son Jayesh said that he was clueless about what measures to take about his mother's impending deportation.
"First of all, we failed to understand how she came to India without visa. With her failing health and her unwillingness to leave India, can authorities guarantee her safe transportation to the US," asked Jayesh.
