‘Only BJP Card Will Prove Citizenship’: Opposition Slams Centre Over MEA's Passport Remark

Published 25 June 2026 · politics

‘Only BJP Card Will Prove Citizenship’: Opposition Slams Centre Over MEA's Passport Remark Published By, Last Updated: June 25, 2026, 12:38 IST The debate also

‘Only BJP Card Will Prove Citizenship’: Opposition Slams Centre Over MEA's Passport Remark Published By, Last Updated: June 25, 2026, 12:38 IST The debate also spilled onto social media, where several users questioned what constitutes definitive proof of citizenship. Rapid Read A photo of a passport (PTI) MEA Passport Row: Opposition parties launched an all out attack at the Centre after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a clarification on Indian passport saying that it is a travel document and should not be treated as a proof of citizenship. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in a post on X took a swipe at the Centre and said, “According to the govt, no document is conclusive proof of citizenship. By 2030, only one document will be proof of citizenship." Along with the post, he shared an AI-generated image of a card labelled “Bharatiya Janata Party", suggesting that BJP membership would become the only proof of citizenship. According to the govt, no document is conclusive proof of citizenship. By 2030, only one document will be proof of citizenship: pic.twitter.com/4BtDT8sY8E— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 25, 2026 Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also took an aim at the government and alleged that the only proof of Indian citizenship today was being “both Hindu and a BJP voter".

It would seem that the only proof of Indian citizenship today is to be both Hindu and a BJP voter. Nothing else will do. pic.twitter.com/8lbEohZkAa— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) June 24, 2026 Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also questioned the government’s position. In a post on X, he asked which document serves as proof of citizenship if passports are not considered conclusive evidence, and linked the issue to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. “MEA June 24, 2026: “A passport is a travel document, and not a document of citizenship. Which document then is proof of citizenship? BLO can doubt my citizenship. Deprive me of my vote. Result- BJP wins the election. Over to Supreme Court!" MEAJune 24, 2026:“A passport is a travel document, and not a document of citizenship." Which document then is proof of citizenship? BLO can doubt my citizenshipDeprive me of my vote Result BJP wins the election Over to Supreme Court! Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) June 24, 2026 Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray similarly criticised the clarification and raised questions about the passport issuance process. “If the MEA believes Passport is not a document of citizenship: 1) What do the police verify before granting a passport? 2) Does our country give passports as travel documents to non Indians as well?," Thackeray said in a post on X.