A New Zealand YouTuber Karl Rock has moved Delhi High Court against Indian government for denying him entry into the country, separating him from his wife and family in Delhi.

Denying the claims, Ministry of Home Affairs told news agency ANI that Rock has been blacklisted for violating multiple visa norms. He was found doing business on a tourist visa and is barred for one year, his visa is cancelled, said MHA.

Also Read| Stalked by hunger, Odisha labourer turns life around with videos

Appealing New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Karl tweeted her for help and has also started an online petition to garner support.

He tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Home Ministry, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others in his tweet for help. “They [the government] blacklisted me without telling me, giving reasons, or letting me reply,” Rice wrote.

Also Read | How live streaming platforms are helping Chinese farmers make millions

Rice has 1.79 million, or 17.90 lakh, subscribers on his channel.

In his online petition, Rice said that the Indian government had cancelled his visa after he left the country to travel to Dubai and Pakistan in October. “They wouldn’t tell me why,” he claimed. “So in Dubai, I applied for a new visa. They called me in for a meeting and told me I had been blacklisted and therefore they couldn’t issue me a visa to go home.”

As many as 52,931 people have signed the petition as of Friday night.

His wife Manisha Malik hails from Haryana and they got married in 2019. 

In a video, Rice said that he has approached the Indian High Commission officials in New Zealand as well as the Union Home Ministry seeking reasons for the ban. But, he said, that he has not received any response from them so far.