The BJP has raised serious questions about Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship, BJP Leader GVL Narasimha Rao has said that documents submitted by him to authorities in 2005 clearly show that he is a citizen of United Kingdom. This means that if he was a foreign citizen during that specific period then he would have automatically lost Indian citizenship because as per the Indian Citizenship Act 1955 if any citizen of India acquires citizenship of any other country then he automatically forfeits his Indian citizenship.
According to multiple reports, Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s name has been shown to be listed as a British citizen in documents related to a company in the UK. Earlier BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, on his social media pages, alleged that Rahul Gandhi is a UK citizen and as per law he cannot contest elections in India
GVL Rao further alleges that “Once you lose your citizenship status you are not qualified to contest any election both state assembly or to the Indian parliament. So Rahul Gandhi must come out clearly today and tell us the real story. Have you cheated India?.”
“I think it’s a matter of great surprise that the objections that have been raised regarding Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship haven’t been answered and his legal representative doesn’t have answers to questions raised by other candidates on details given in his nomination. They have asked time to counter the allegations,” said Rao.
The other issue Rao pointed out was pertaining to the educational qualifications of Gandhi.
According to Rao, the Congress president had filed different affidavits in different elections from 2004 to 2019.
He claimed there was a discrepancy in his educational certificates or there have been attempts to suppress facts.
“There is some haziness about his qualifications and the years in which he claims to have acquired those qualifications. In 2004 affidavit his qualifications mentioned were 12th standard certificate and MPhil in Development Economics. However, later the name of the course is changed to Development Studies in 2014 affidavit,” Rao stated.
Meanwhile, the Allahabad High Court Friday has directed petitioner R K Singh to approach the central government to raise his grievance about the citizenship of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
The Lucknow bench of the high court further directed the competent authority in the central government to consider and decide the matter, if so raised, in accordance with the law expeditiously, PTI reported.
In the latest petition, Singh has alleged that as per income tax return filed in Britain showing himself as a British citizen.
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, who in the past has raised questions over Rahul’s citizenship and his qualification tweeted: “Buddhu has also filed income tax returns in the UK during 2004-2006 as a British Citizen as Rahul Gandhi while MP in India!!!!!’ Buddhu citizen likely to be cancelled because he cannot deny his British citizenship now. His tax returns are damning. Ensure BJP Govt returns on May 23 rd.”
Another petition has been filed by an independent candidate, Dhruv Lal, who has alleged similar discrepancies in Rahul’s candidature.
Talking to ANI his lawyer Ravi Prakash said that on the basis of a certificate of incorporation of a company registered in the UK he has declared himself a UK citizen.
He further added that under the Representation of People Act, a non-Indian citizen is barred from fighting elections.
India Today reported thatMeanwhile Amethi Returning Officer Ram Manohar Mishra has ordered the postponement of scrutiny of Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s nomination papers to April 22. An Independent candidate, Dhruv Lal, has filed a complaint alleging discrepancies in Rahul Gandhi’s candidature.
“There are three basic issues we have raised,” Ravi Prakash, who is Dhruv Lal’s lawyer, told ANI on Saturday. One of the issues he raised is on the “basis of a certificate of incorporation of a company registered in the UK wherein Rahul Gandhi has declared himself a UK citizen,” Prakash alleged.
According to Ravi Prakash under the Representation of People Act, a non-Indian citizen is barred from contesting elections in the country.
“On what basis has he become a British citizen? And, how did he obtain Indian citizenship now? Unless there is clarity over the matter, we have requested the Returning Officer not to accept Rahul Gandhi’s nomination papers,” Prakash said.
