Violence and Persecution in Wake of BJP Victory in India Leads to Potential Justification for Asylum

The April 7 to May 12, 2014 elections in India brought about a change in government from the Congress party, which has been in power since 2004 (and in all but 18 years of India's existence as a democracy), to the BJP Party led by Narendra Modi. While the elections themselves seem to have been remarkably peaceful, peace is not universally found throughout India. 

In Uttar Pradesh (UP), a northwestern-central state in India, BJP Party leaders have been persecuted and, in some cases, killed.  Asylum may afford protection.  It may be granted on the grounds of persecution or fear of persecution due to political opinion. The grantee must be present in the United States and apply within one year of arriving on US soil, unless:

- Changed circumstances that materially affect the applicant's eligibility for asylum or

-extraordinary circumstances relating to the delay in filing and the asylum candidate filed within a reasonable amount of time given those circumstances.

The International Business Law Firm (IBLF) has been representing asylum candidates from many countries for more than 15 years. Contact information: telephone 202-296-1111 or email info@iblf.com.