Javed Akhtar The Ministry of External Affairs was heavily criticized after it declared that a passport is a travel document and not proof of citizenship. The veteran writer and lyricist called the position absurd and raised the question of how the authorities distinguish real citizens from illegal immigrants.
Javed Akhtar’s sharp response to MEA
The controversy arose on the occasion of the 14th Passport Seva Divas, when the MEA said that passports are primary travel documents issued to facilitate international travel and that owning one does not establish one’s own citizenship. The statement sparked a heated debate on social media, especially since Indian passports are issued exclusively to Indian citizens.The 81-year-old led X to question the logic behind the ministry’s position. He wrote, “Ministry of External Affairs says that a passport is a document for travel, not proof of citizenship. Really??? So they give this travel document to some people without being fully convinced that this person is a citizen of India?? This is absurd.”When another user pointed out that documents like: Aadhaar:Voter ID, and PAN cards are also not considered as proof of citizenship, Akhtar reiterated. He replied, “Who in the system gives such unconditional help to these illegal immigrants. Under such undesirable conditions, how do they distinguish between fake and real citizens except at the whim of some petty officer.”
What is considered as proof of citizenship in India?
The debate brought renewed attention to the question of what constitutes truly conclusive proof of Indian citizenship. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court, during the hearings on Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, clarified that Aadhaar is not conclusive proof of citizenship and serves only as an identity document. A voter ID card, likewise, is considered a document of identity and residence rather than a document of citizenship.Under Indian citizenship laws, a person born in the country on or after January 26, 1950, but before July 1, 1987, is a citizen by birth. For those born after July 1987, citizenship by birth applies if at least one parent is an Indian citizen. For those born on or after December 3, 2004, both parents must be citizens of India, or one parent must be a citizen and the other must not be an illegal immigrant at the time of birth.