Indian Government Clarifies Passport Policy Amid Controversy Over Citizenship Rights

The controversy began when officials of the Ministry of External Affairs said that the passport is not a document establishing citizenship, but a travel document. Political rhetoric intensified after this. The central government clarified that this is not a new decision and no changes have been made in this regard in the last 12 years. The government says that passports can also be issued to non-citizens in special circumstances and in the public interest under Section 20 of the Passport Act 1967. The opposition alleged that such an interpretation could create a controversy about citizenship rights in the future. Shashi Tharoor said that for decades, the Indian passport has been considered the most reliable document of identity. Police verification and many types of documents are checked to make a passport. In such a situation, saying that a passport is not a proof of citizenship creates confusion for the common people. Tharoor questioned that if a passport does not prove citizenship, then which document does. He said that the Supreme Court has already described Aadhaar as a proof of residence and citizenship.