The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Monday gave an important order in a big case. Court Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi The Union Home Ministry has been given four weeks in the case of alleged dual citizenship. During this time, the central government will have to clarify whether Rahul Gandhi also has Britain’s citizenship or not. This case has been a matter of discussion in political circles for many years.
What is the claim in the petition?
In this case, a social worker from Karnataka, S Vignesh Shishir, has filed a PIL. The petitioner claims that Rahul Gandhi acquired citizenship of the United Kingdom between 2003 and 2009 and is violating the rules of dual citizenship under the Indian Constitution. A CBI inquiry has also been demanded in the petition.
What did the court say?
A division bench of Justice AR Masudi and Justice Ajay Kumar Srivastava-I has given serious time to the central government, showing seriousness in the matter. Earlier, the court had sought a reply by 24 March, but the government had demanded more time. Now the next hearing will be held on 21 April.
Political Reaction: What did Congress say?
No official statement has yet come from the Congress party on this matter, but some party leaders have described it as “political vengeance”. He says that this case is only a conspiracy to discredit Rahul Gandhi. At the same time, BJP leaders have taken this issue seriously and said that if a leader violates the constitution, then action should be taken on it.
What does Indian law say?
According to the Indian citizenship law, no person can have dual citizenship. If someone has taken citizenship of another country, then his Indian citizenship automatically ends. However, in certain circumstances, Overseas Citizen of India is exempted from card holders.
Has this issue raised earlier?
This is not the first time that questions have been raised about Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship. During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy raised the issue. At that time, the Congress had dismissed all the allegations and said that Rahul Gandhi is a completely Indian citizen.
What will happen next?
Now everyone’s eyes are on the next hearing to be held on April 21. If the central government offers any concrete information against Rahul Gandhi, this matter can be more serious. At the same time, if the government is unable to provide any evidence, then this dispute can be calm.
The case has once again created a stir in political corridors. While the opposition is calling it the “targeted action” of the government, the leaders of the ruling party consider it part of the legal process. It remains to be seen in which direction the matter turns in the coming days.