Bihar electoral roll revision: TMC MP Gokhale says people stand risk of losing citizenship

New Delhi, Aug 14 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale on Thursday alleged the special intensive revision exercise currently underway in Bihar is not just about people being deleted as voters but they also stand the risk of losing citizenship.

In a post on X, he referred to a reply by the home ministry in Lok Sabha, and said they did not list out any documents which may prove citizenship.

"Recently, in Parliament, the Modi Govt refused to disclose what document qualifies as 'proof of citizenship'. It has, however, said that Aadhaar, PAN, Driving License etc. do not qualify," Gokhale wrote.

"Therefore, there's only 1 way of establishing citizenship under current laws which is: If born before 1st July, 1987, you have to prove you were born in India; If born between 1st Jul, 1987 - 3rd Dec, 2004, you have to prove that you plus one of your parents was born in India; If born after 3rd Dec, 2004, you have to prove that you plus both parents were born in India," he said.

Gokhale said the primary document for establishing date and place of birth is a birth certificate.

"Now, here's the problem: As of 2022, only 75 percent of births in India were in hospitals (and, therefore, registered automatically)," he said.

"As of 2011 census, only 82 percent births were registered. Therefore, almost 20 percent of Indians born in the last 10 years do not have a birth certificate," he said.

The Rajya Sabha member said if this is the condition at present, "imagine what it must have been in the past when there was no internet or technology and when there were fewer institutional births in hospital". "It is, therefore, safe to say that almost 20-25% of Indians do not have their own birth certificate. Now if you also include both parents, the number goes up exponentially," he said.

He said the EC is demanding "proof of citizenship" by allowing only limited documents as part of the exercise to prove birth details.

"This means that 25% of voters can technically be deleted for "failing to prove citizenship"," Gohkhale alleged.

"If the Modi Govt implements NRC with the Census next year, between 20-30% Indians will be labelled as "non-citizens" for failing to produce birth certificates (their own as well as both parents)," he claimed.

"You WILL be deleted as a voter if you do not produce a birth proof for yourself and, in many cases, for both of your parents. After being deleted as a voter, the ECI can also report you as a 'non-citizen'," the MP further claimed.

"ECI's 'SIR vote chori' is the 1st step towards 'citizenship chori'. This is not just about being deleted as a voter. You also stand to lose your citizenship. The Opposition is not merely fighting a political battle. We are fighting the scary fact that the Modi Govt, using the Election Commission, can take away your citizenship if they want," he added.

In a written reply in Lok Sabha on August 12, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said citizenship of India is governed under the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and rules made thereunder. It can be acquired by birth (Section 3), by decent (Section 4), by registration (Section 5), by naturalization (Section 6) or by incorporation of territory (Section 7) of the Citizenship Act, 1955. The eligibility criteria for acquisition and determination of citizenship is as per the provisions of the Citizenship.

He did not specify any identity cards that may be proof of citizenship.

Opposition parties have been demanding that the exercise for updating voters' list in Bihar, in which people are required to submit documents establishing citizenship, is the government's attempt to bring NRC through the backdoor.

The Election Commission has said no names will be deleted from the voters' list without following due process. PTI AO ZMN