In a departure from the Indian subcontinent, Vanessa Dougnac, a French scribe, made an exit, citing an inability to await the conclusion of the legal proceedings initiated in response to a governmental notice signaling the potential annulment of her Overseas Citizen of India card.
“I am bidding adieu to India today, a nation I embraced a quarter-century ago as a student, where I diligently toiled as a journalist for 23 years. It is the terrain where I exchanged vows, nurtured my offspring, and affectionately dub as my abode,” conveyed Dougnac, holding the position of South Asia Correspondent for French publications La Croix and Le Point, Swiss periodical Le Temps, and Belgian daily Le Soir, in a formal proclamation.
The preceding month witnessed the issuance of a notice by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office to Dougnac, questioning the legitimacy of her OCI card, asserting that she engaged in journalistic pursuits without the requisite permissions mandated by the Citizenship Act of 1955 and its associated regulations.
Dougnac contended that her departure from India was not a volitional act but a compulsion imposed by the government. The government, alleging her articles to be “malevolent” and detrimental to “the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India,” served as the impetus. Notably, the notice directed at Dougnac became a focal point during the high-level discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, the latter being the chief dignitary for the Republic Day celebrations.
On January 26, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, responding to an inquiry, articulated that France did “acknowledge” India’s “framework of reference” in scrutinizing the case through the prism of regulatory compliance. Kwatra emphasized that individuals are at liberty to exercise their accredited actions within a defined sphere, but the crux of the matter lies in adherence to the rules and regulations of the host state.
