Opposition asks Centre what proves citizenship after MEA says passport is only a travel document

Opposition leaders on Thursday asked the Centre what documents Indians can rely on to prove their citizenship. The question came a day after the Ministry of External Affairs said that a passport is a travel document and not proof of citizenship.

Congress leader Supriya Shrinate noted that a passport is a “document issued by a sovereign nation to its citizens for international travel”.

“Does this mean non-Indian citizens have been issued an Indian passport?” she said in a social media post. “What about foreign countries and immigration desks – should they now believe a person with an Indian passport is not necessarily an Indian?”

Modi govt has said that Passport is not a proof of citizenship

• Isn’t passport a document issued by a sovereign nation to its citizens for international travel?

• Does this mean non-Indian citizens have been issued an Indian passport?

• What do govt agencies including the… pic.twitter.com/bokUo7uFY1— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) June 25, 2026

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that the “direction in which the country appears to be heading raises serious concerns”, PTI reported.

“It increasingly seems that, in the coming days, [Bharatiya Janata Party] membership could become synonymous with citizenship,” he added.

VIDEO | Hyderabad: On being asked about the MEA's statement that "a passport is not proof of citizenship," AIMIM chief...

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