The term of the ban of controversial New Zealand-based YouTuber Karl Rock, who has been currently blacklisted by the Government of India over multiple visa violations, ends on February 23. The Delhi High Court on January 18 refused to advance the date of hearing of the petition filed by his wife Manisha Malik asking the court to quash the blacklisting order that prevents YouTuber Karl Edward Rice, popularly known as Karl Rock from returning to India.

Justice V Kameswar Rao stated that since the term of the ban of the YouTuber was ending on February 23 and the Centre would then “take a fresh call”, the plea would only be heard only on March 21, 2022. “I don’t know where to accommodate you in February. We will have it on March 21. We will look into it (then). They have given date (for the expiry of the blacklisting order). They (Centre) will take a call,” he said.

In November last year, Karl Rock uploaded an emotional video on his YouTube channel in which he documented meeting his wife after 397 days in Nepal. In the video “Meeting My Wife After 397 Days on India’s #Blacklist,” which Karl Rock posted on November 27, Karl documents his journey to Nepal to meet his wife Manisha Mallick after he was “forced to stay away from her” for 397 days.

While talking about his excitement and eagerness to meet his wife, Karl Rock intermittently does not forget to play the victim card, blaming the government of India for his separation from his wife and in-laws. The New Zealand vlogger, who has long been active in both subtle and overt anti-India propaganda, insinuated through his video that the Indian government had been pursuing him for the last one year to settle some sort of personal score.

The YouTuber claimed that he felt like he had served a jail sentence since he was apart from his family for so long. He said that he will inform fans about ‘what really happened' but is “scared” to disclose any details at the moment, fearing extended blacklisting.

He went on to claim that the ‘severe online propaganda’ that was carried out against him must alert his viewers that there was a coordinated attack against him. He was targeted, claimed Karl Rock, but he can’t go into the details since it may be used against him by the Indian government, who in turn might extend his blacklisting, the YouTuber hinted again.

Without specifying in those many words, Karl Rock subtly alluded to how intolerant the Indian government is by ruing to his viewers how he wanted to share his excitement that his father-in-law is running for Congress in Haryana, but that he couldn’t, since it would almost certainly result in his blacklist being extended.

“That’s the way things are. Even if my family is connected to what is going on in India, I am unable to speak about it. I’ve been gagged. Everything is messed up,” bemoaned Karl Rock’s tactfully playing the victim card while painting the Indian government as a tyrant who has plotted against him and his family to settle some personal score. However, the fact remains that Rock had breached the terms of his visa three times, prompting India’s government to prohibit him from entering the country.

New Zealand-based controversial YouTuber Karl Rock has regularly accused the Indian government of denying him entry without specifying any reasons leading to his “separation” from his Indian wife, a charge the Home Ministry rejected saying he was barred due to violation of visa conditions.

Karl Rock’s visa was cancelled for violating terms of his visa thrice: Govt

Initially, it was speculated that the controversial New Zealand-based Youtuber Karl Rock was blacklisted for his support to anti-India causes, like his support for anti-CAA protests in 2019, however, later sources from the Union Home Ministry had revealed that the New Zealand national was barred from entering India for the next year for violating the terms of his visa. 

Karl Rock was discovered doing business on a tourist visa while also breaking other visa rules. Later, more details emerged saying that Karl Rock violated visa norms on at least three occasions while he was in India on a tourist visa.

Basically, Rock had a tourist visa from 2016 to 2018 and 2018 to 2023. Further, he was granted an X2 visa from 2019 to 2024, but he ended up violating visa norms again. According to sources, each time a visa was granted to him, Karl Rock ended up violating the visa norms.

Following his repeated violations of the terms of the visa granted to him by the Indian government, the Home Ministry took a serious note and has cancelled the visa granted for Youtuber Karl Rock. 

New Zealander vlogger Karl Rock and his anti-India antics

The Media had previously detailed his antics that may have played a role in the cancellation of his visa by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The New Zealand vlogger had been involved in both subtle and brazen anti-India propaganda from the start. In his video, he posted a ground report video wherein he participated in the anti-CAA protests against the Indian government. Despite being well aware that foreign nationals cannot take part in political movements, he went ahead violating his visa rules.

Intriguingly, just after participating in the anti-CAA protests that ultimately led to the horrifying anti-Hindu pogrom in Delhi in February 2020, Rock had traveled to neighbouring Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir(PoK). He spent months in Pakistan and PoK, visiting various places and posting about his experience on his YouTube channel.

References:

opindia.com - OpIndia Staff