After the Foreign Ministry clarified that a passport is not proof of nationality, opposition leaders criticized the Centre. While some pointed out that passports can only be issued to Indian citizens, others mocked the BJP-led NDA government.
Highlighting the statement by MEA officials on Tuesday, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal asked about the document proving citizenship. MEA June 24, 2026: “A passport is a travel document and not a citizenship document.” So what document is considered proof of citizenship? Sibal asked in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Trinamul MP Mahua Moitra quipped: “It seems the only proof of Indian citizenship today is being a Hindu and a BJP voter.” “Nothing else will do,” Moitra added.
‘Confused’ and ‘ridiculous’ foreign policy
Referring to the MEA statement as “ridiculous”, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Aaditya Thackeray questioned the verification before issuance of the passport and also questioned whether the document was issued to non-Indians.
“If MEA thinks that passport is not a citizenship document: 1) What does the police check before giving the passport? 2) Does our country give passports as travel documents to non-Indians as well?,” Thackeray said in a post on X.
He also wondered whether MEA’s statement would now raise “doubts in the minds of other countries, as to whether non-Indians are getting Indian passports as a travel document.” “Beyond its very confused foreign policy, how much more ridiculous could the CPA get?” Sena UBT MP said.
Rajya Sabha MP Sibal claimed that in this case, if the Election Board booth level employee (BLO) doubts his citizenship, he may be deprived of his vote. “BLO can doubt my citizenship. Take away my vote, result – BJP wins election. To the Supreme Court!” Sibal added in his post.
The Kerala unit of the Congress, in a satirical post, criticized the use of identity documents. “Aadhaar is a card. PAN is for cooking. Voter ID is for showing, not voting. Income tax returns are for returning your income. Election certificate is for creative writing. And Modi is a joke!” The party in X said.
Read also | If not a passport, then what? The Middle East Airlines statement reignites the debate over citizenship
What did Middle East Airlines say in its clarification?
The Middle East Airlines explained that a passport is a travel document, highlighting the measures built into the new chip-based electronic passports, such as biometric data, to enhance global acceptance and reduce the risk of fraud.
The clarification was issued on Tuesday (June 24) on the occasion of the Siva Devas’ passport. Officials said the passport remains a travel document, not a citizenship document, as it certifies the citizenship of Indians when they are abroad. “The passport is issued after a lot of due diligence and relies on documents from several government agencies,” an official said.
