The CJP protests have dominated conversations across social media, with people sharing videos, opinions and updates every day. But while many users have been actively discussing the issue, some popular
foreign vloggers living in India have chosen not to speak about it.
Their silence has raised questions from followers, especially because these creators regularly post about their daily lives, travel and experiences in India. Responding to the curiosity, a few of them have now explained why they are avoiding any public comments on the protests.
They Explain Their Decision
One of them is American content creator Liz, who lives in India with her Indian partner, Shiv. The couple addressed the issue in a video shared on their joint Instagram account, “lizandshiv,” under the title, “Silence behind the Jantar Mantar protests.”
In the video, Liz explained why she had not posted anything about the ongoing protests. “I love India. I have spent a lot of time here that it’s become like a second home. My boyfriend, Shiv, is also Indian. A lot of you have been asking why we are not talking about the protest. And I want to be honest and give you the reason why,” she said.
She then said that, according to her understanding, foreigners are not allowed to get involved in political matters while staying in India. “Under India’s Immigration and Foreigner’s Act, foreigners are simply not allowed to talk about it and we don’t have freedom of speech here. If a foreigner gets involved in politics or protests, they can face deportation, can get their visas cancelled, can get blacklisted, and also can face three years in jail.”
Before ending the video, Liz added, “So all I can say is, I hope you and your family stay safe. Jai hind.”
Another Vlogger Shares A Similar View
Australian travel vlogger Andy Evans, who often describes himself as “slowly becoming desi,” also posted a video explaining why he has not spoken about the protests. In the clip, he said many followers had been asking him, “Ozzy bhai, why are you not commenting on the protests?” Andy said his reason was the same as Liz’s.
According to him, foreigners can face serious consequences if they comment on political matters in India. He also claimed there have been cases where foreigners had their visas cancelled and were asked to leave the country after making political statements.
He said that, as a foreigner living in India, he could not comment on the issue and advised other expats to avoid speaking publicly about political protests as well.
