BJP govt under fire for saying passport not proof of Indian citizenship
New Delhi: The BJP government has drawn sharp criticism after asserting that a passport has never been considered proof of Indian citizenship, with opposition leaders saying the statement has raised questions over what document qualifies as valid proof.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Ministry of External Affairs said that an Indian passport serves primarily as a travel and identity document, not conclusive proof of citizenship. Officials cited Section 20 of the Passports Act, 1967, which allows issuance of passports to non-citizens, and said the position was not new.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar triggered the debate at the Passport Seva Divas event. A BJP government source said, “It was not decided yesterday that the passport is not proof of citizenship. The passport has never been a proof of citizenship.”
Opposition leaders reacted strongly. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said on X, “The only proof of Indian citizenship today is to be both Hindu and a BJP voter. Nothing else will do.” AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi asked which document would prove citizenship if passport, Aadhaar, birth certificate and voter ID were not accepted.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also questioned the BJP government’s stance, while lyricist Javed Akhtar called the MEA clarification “absurd.” Official sources said Bombay High Court rulings in 2013 and Supreme Court observations had earlier clarified that documents like passport and Aadhaar are not conclusive proof of citizenship.
