Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 25: The Congress on Thursday accused the Centre of creating uncertainty over citizenship rights after reports quoting Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) officials stated that a passport is not proof of citizenship.
Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal alleged that the BJP-led government was creating fear among citizens and claimed that such statements could be used to deny citizenship rights arbitrarily.
“This government excels in creating panic and helplessness among ordinary citizens. By declaring that even a passport does not certify one’s citizenship, they are laying the groundwork to arbitrarily deny citizenship rights to Indians who they disagree with,” Venugopal said in a post on X.
He further alleged that the government had earlier removed names of people from certain communities from electoral rolls to serve political interests.
“The day is not far when purely out of political vendetta, this regime will strip you of your citizenship, even if you have a passport or any other document proving that you are Indian,” he added.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Renuka Chowdhury also questioned the Centre’s position and sought clarification on the issue.
“Passports are not proof of citizenship: MEA. Then what is? BLO, please tell, why does SIR accept a passport as a relevant document for voting? Government should clarify this,” she said.
Meanwhile, government sources clarified that passports have never been considered proof of citizenship and that no new decision has been taken by the Narendra Modi government on the matter.
Responding to reports citing MEA officials, sources said a passport is a travel document issued for international travel and does not by itself establish citizenship.
“It was not decided yesterday that the passport is not proof of citizenship. It was not even decided in the last 12 years. The passport has never been proof of citizenship,” a government source said.
The sources also referred to provisions under the Passport Act, 1967, stating that passports can be issued in certain cases even to non-citizens.