If not a passport, what else? Even a BLO can question one's citizenship: Critics question BJP govt's motive

The Ministry of External Affairs' clarification that a passport is not conclusive proof of Indian citizenship, despite being issued exclusively to Indian citizens, has triggered a political storm, with opposition leaders, journalists and rights activists questioning whether the BJP-led government is paving the way for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) by rejecting Aadhaar, PAN cards, voter ID cards, driving licences and even passports as acceptable proof of citizenship.

The MEA issued the clarification on Wednesday, reiterating that while passports facilitate international travel, they do not, by themselves, establish citizenship. The statement followed recent observations by the Supreme Court during hearings related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, wherein the court noted that Aadhaar serves as an identity document but is not conclusive evidence of citizenship.

The clarification triggered a wave of criticism from opposition leaders. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal questioned what document would now qualify as proof of citizenship and alleged that such ambiguity could be used to disenfranchise voters. He suggested that booth-level officers could arbitrarily cast doubt on an individual's citizenship and threatened to challenge the government's position before the Supreme Court.

Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale accused the government of creating conditions for an NRC exercise by refusing to recognise commonly held government documents as proof of citizenship. He alleged that citizens could be removed from electoral rolls and have their citizenship questioned if they failed to produce documents deemed acceptable by authorities. Gokhale further accused the BJP of seeking to consolidate power through electoral manipulation, echoing allegations earlier made by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

Prominent public figures also joined the debate. Lyricist Javed Akhtar described the government's position as "absurd", questioning how a passport could be issued without authorities first being satisfied about an applicant's citizenship. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi mocked the clarification, sarcastically suggesting that a BJP membership card might eventually become the only recognised proof of citizenship.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate questioned the purpose of police verification in passport issuance if passports themselves were not accepted as proof of citizenship. Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai similarly asked which authority would ultimately certify citizenship if voter IDs, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards and passports were all considered insufficient.

The MEA, meanwhile, defended the passport system, highlighting the rollout of chip-based e-passports, expanded passport services and improved international mobility for Indian citizens. The ministry maintained that only Indian citizens are eligible for passports under the Passports Act, 1967, while stressing that the document's primary legal function remains that of facilitating international travel.