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Centre issues notice to Rahul Gandhi over citizenship status

Centre issues notice to Rahul Gandhi over citizenship status

By Shalini Ojha
Apr 30, 2019
11:53 am
What's the story

Right in the middle of ongoing Lok Sabha polls, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday sent a notice to Congress President Rahul Gandhi to explain his position on a row pertaining to his citizenship. The notice was issued on the basis of a complaint of BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, who has been claiming for years that Rahul is a British citizen. Here are the details.

Letter

Rahul has been given a fortnight to reply

BC Joshi, Director, Citizenship in the ministry signed the letter and gave Rahul a fortnight to reply. Earlier this month, Dhruv Lal, who is contesting from Amethi as an independent candidate, took objection to Rahul's citizenship. However, the Congress chief was given a breather after returning officer refused to scrutinize his documents.

Issue

Since 2015, Swamy spoke about Rahul's citizenship numerous times

Notably, in 2015, Swamy had mentioned the issue for the first time. And, since then he has raked it several times. He said Rahul called himself a British citizen on the returns of a UK-based firm "Backops Limited". "The onus to prove he is innocent is on Rahul," he said at the time. Rejecting the allegations, Congress maintained Rahul has always been an Indian.

Notice

You declared your nationality as British: MHA

Referring to Swamy's complaint, Joshi wrote that Rahul was one of the directors and secretary of Backops Limited. The company was registered in the United Kingdom in 2003 and had the address 51 Southgate Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9EH. The letter added that Rahul's date of birth was mentioned as June 19, 1970, in the documents and he declared his nationality as British.

Twitter Post

Here's a copy of the letter

Reaction

How can Rahul contest polls, asked Swamy

Speaking on the development, Swamy asked how can Rahul contest elections if he isn't an Indian citizen. When Swamy was informed that Congress called this move BJP's desperation, he replied the party had a broken record. "They are saying the same thing over and over, tell them to find something new. They said the same thing in the National Herald case," he told News18.

Twitter Post

Rahul's Indian citizenship should be canceled, suggested Swamy

Information

For first time, Rahul is contesting from two seats

Meanwhile, Rahul is contesting from two constituencies- Amethi in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad in Kerala. He is also facing a separate contempt plea for falsely quoting the Supreme Court verdict on Rafale deal to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi.