Javed Akhtar has criticized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after saying that a passport is a travel document and not proof of citizenship. The former author and songwriter said this was ridiculous and raised questions about how the authorities distinguish between genuine citizens and illegal immigrants.
Javed Akhtar’s sharp response to MEA
The controversy came to light at the 14th Passport Seva Divas, where the MEA said that passports are travel documents issued to facilitate international travel and that possession of one does not establish citizenship. The statement sparked a huge debate on social media, especially since Indian passports are issued only to Indian citizens.The 81-year-old went to X to ask what the ministry had done. He wrote, “The Ministry of External Affairs says that a passport is a travel document, not a proof of citizenship. Really??? So they are issuing this travel document to other people without confirming that the person is an Indian citizen?? It’s ridiculous.”When another user said that documents like AadhaarVoter ID, and PAN cards are also not considered as proof of citizenship, Akhtar doubled down. He replied, “Who in this system is giving unlimited aid to these illegal immigrants. For such unreasonable reasons, how do they differentiate between fake citizens and real citizens except at the whim of some petty officer.”
What counts as proof of citizenship in India?
The controversy has brought attention to the question of what constitutes a valid proof of Indian citizenship. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court, during the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, clarified that Aadhaar is not a valid proof of citizenship and only serves as an identification document. A voter’s certificate, similarly, is considered a residence document and not a citizenship document.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 one parent was an Indian citizen. For those born on or after December 3, 2004, both parents must be Indian citizens, or one parent must be a citizen and the other a non-immigrant at the time of birth.
