Hyderabad, June 25: AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly reacted to a statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which claimed that a passport is merely a travel document and should not be considered proof of citizenship. Owaisi argues that the government is attempting to arbitrarily define who is a citizen of the country.
Owaisi questioned the MEA’s assertion by asking, “Who is issued a passport?” He emphasized that Indian passports are only issued to Indian citizens and cannot be granted to foreign nationals. A thorough police verification process is conducted before a passport is issued, making it inappropriate to completely separate it from citizenship.
He pointed out that various provisions in the Passport Act clearly state that a passport cannot be issued to anyone without citizenship, except under specific circumstances requiring the central government’s approval.
Furthermore, Owaisi raised concerns that if only citizenship certificates are recognized as proof of citizenship, it could lead to significant issues. He noted that a large portion of India’s population does not possess a separate citizenship certificate. Most people rely on documents like birth certificates, Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and passports.
Owaisi highlighted that many generations have lived in India without any separate citizenship documents. If these documents are not accepted as proof of citizenship, it could create a complex situation for ordinary citizens. He criticized the government’s approach, stating that it seems intent on declaring individuals as non-citizens at will, which he believes is unjust. The government is unnecessarily complicating matters regarding passports.
During this time, Owaisi also commented on the recent case of alleged bonded labor in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. He condemned the incident as extremely reprehensible and inhumane. He expressed concern over the exploitation of poor individuals, who are held captive, forced to work, starved, and physically abused. He questioned why the government is aware of trivial matters but remains oblivious to such serious issues.
He accused the government of focusing solely on one community while ignoring other serious social crimes. Owaisi sarcastically remarked that whether it is theft at the Ram Temple or the enslavement of the poor for labor, the government seems unaware of these grave issues.
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