India, Nov. 2 -- Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday voiced strong support for journalist and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and veteran journalist Swapan Dasgupta's recent column, which criticises the Indian government's handling of the entry denial to Professor Francesca Orsini, a renowned Hindi scholar based in the UK.

In his article in TOI, Swapan made this point: while the state must ensure compliance with visa regulations, it has no right to question the academic credentials or scholarship of visiting professors.

Tharoor agreed with Dasgupta, criticising the decision to turn away international academics at Indian airports, calling it an "unwelcome mat" that India is effectively rolling out at its borders. He also warned ...