Ministry of External Affairs ne recently ek statement diya — passport ek travel document hai, citizenship ka proof nahi. Bombay High Court ka 2013 ka judgment bhi yehi kehta hai. Supreme Court ka May 27, 2026 ka judgment bhi yehi kehta hai. Ek neta ne social media pe kaha: “Aadhaar nahi. PAN card nahi. Voter card nahi. Passport nahi. Toh main Indian hoon — yeh kaise prove karun? Maa kasam khata rahunga?”
Exactly Kya Hua — MEA Ka Statement Aur Controversy
Ministry of External Affairs ke official ne Passports Act, 1967 ki Section 20 ka hawaala diya — jo kehti hai ki central government kisi non-citizen ko bhi, agar public interest mein zaroori lage, passport issue kar sakti hai. Matlab: passport hold karna automatically citizenship prove nahi karta.
Opposition ne immediately react kiya. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal: “Agar passport citizenship prove nahi karta, toh konsa document karta hai?” BJP ke Amit Malviya ne counter kiya: “Yeh koi nayi policy nahi — MEA ne sirf wahi restated kiya jo law aur courts pehle se keh rahe hain.” Technically sach hai. Lekin timing pe sawaal hai.
Supreme Court Ka May 2026 Judgment — Kya Kaha
SC ne 27 May 2026 ko Special Intensive Revision ko constitutional valid mana — lekin ek critical limitation daali: Election Commission sirf voter list mein eligibility determine kar sakta hai — citizenship nahi. Kisi ka naam voter list se hatana use non-citizen nahi banata. Citizenship determination sirf Citizenship Act ke under hoti hai.
Ek Ke Baad Ek Document — Sab “Not Enough” Kyun?
- Aadhaar Card — residency proof hai, citizenship proof nahi. Non-citizens bhi apply kar sakte hain (182+ din India mein)
- PAN Card — income tax document, citizenship se directly linked nahi
- Voter ID — SC May 2026: citizenship prove nahi karta, non-citizens ghalti se registered ho sakte hain
- Passport — Section 20 ke under non-citizens ko bhi issue ho sakta hai special cases mein
Kya prove karta hai? Documents ka combination — birth certificate, parents ke Indian citizen records, school certificates, land records, pre-1971 election rolls. Lekin in sab documents ka ek saath hona aam admi ke liye realistic nahi hai — khaaske poor, rural, migrant workers, women jin ke records miss hote hain.
High Level Committee On Demographic Changes — NRC Ka Darwaza
May 2026 mein Union Government ne “High Level Committee on Demographic Changes” constitute ki — future mein NRC-type exercise ke liye framework banana. Assam ke NRC mein legacy documents (1951 electoral rolls, 1971 se pehle ke land records) use kiye gaye. Lekin in documents tak access kitne logon ke paas hai? Lakho genuine Indian citizens ke paas yeh documents nahi hain.
Yeh Debate Kyun Important Hai — Aapke Liye Directly
Agar aap padhe-likhe, shehri, employed hain — aapke liye shayad koi practical problem nahi. Lekin India ki 60%+ population ke paas formal documentation ka coherent set nahi hai. Unke liye yeh debate existential hai.
BJP supporter keh sakte hain: “Yeh sirf foreigners ko pakadne ke liye hai.” Opposition: “Yeh genuine citizens ko harass karne ka tool banega.” Dono cheezein simultaneously sach ho sakti hain. Asli demand: Government ek clear, simple, universally accessible citizenship document banaye — aur uski legal definition clarify kare. Tab tak yeh uncertainty bani rahegi.
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