Kishan Reddy Accuses Asaduddin Owaisi of Misleading Public on Passport Law

On Friday, Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy accused Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi of misleading the public in Hyderabad over the legal distinction between holding an Indian passport and citizenship.

Speaking on the dispute, Reddy criticized the AIMIM chief's recent public opposition to the central government. The Union Minister alleged that Owaisi was either completely ignorant of the existing laws or was deliberately creating confusion among the public to achieve political mileage.

The political row follows a clarification from the Ministry of External Affairs, which stated that an Indian passport is not conclusive proof of citizenship. Reddy defended this clarification, stating that Indian citizenship is strictly governed by the Constitution of India and the Citizenship Act of 1955. He also stressed that the ministry's clarification should not be viewed as an action that dilutes the overall value of an Indian passport.

To support his argument, Reddy cited the Passports Act of 1967. He explained that this legislation treats a passport primarily as a travel document and not as the sole legal basis for determining a person's citizenship status.

Specifically, the Union Minister highlighted Section 20 of the Passports Act of 1967. He noted that this section empowers the central government to issue passports to non-citizens under certain circumstances. Because of this specific legal provision, Reddy argued that the mere possession of a passport cannot be used to establish citizenship.

Reddy also emphasized that this legal distinction is not a new policy created by the Narendra Modi-led government. He pointed out that the Passports Act was enacted in 1967 during the Congress party's regime. He concluded that blaming the present administration for this long-standing legal position shows either a lack of understanding of the law or a clear attempt to mislead the public.