India to Fulbright scholars: Don't Come
That’s the signal from the UPA to Fulbright scholars in the US: delaying their visas for weeks, months; rejecting their research proposals without any reason. Even asking them to change their subject. This when Indo-US equation couldn’t have been better.
... Records show that for US scholars, the last two years — since the UPA came to power — have been the worst in the 57-year history of the programme. Not only has the Government kept the highest number of scholars waiting for anywhere between anywhere between six months to 21 months — effectively derailing their entire schedule — it has also, in several cases, rejected research proposals without giving any reason.
Sample the subjects rejected by the babus of this “secular” Government: Democratization in Kerala and the role of associations; perceptions of Muslim women; Left politics in Mumbai; how migration affects Hindus and Muslims in Hyderabad and Dubai. Many scholars refused to re-apply while some changed their subjects to get a visa (see chart).
Significantly, the scholars get no explanation why their research proposals have been rejected.