New Delhi: The Union home ministry has given Congress president Rahul Gandhi a fortnight to explain his “factual position” over a complaint about his citizenship, reports NDTV.
Complainant BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has for years been alleging that Rahul is a British citizen.
The home ministry notice comes bang in the middle of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections.
“I am directed to say that this ministry has received a representation from Dr Subramanian Swamy, in which it has been brought out that a company named Backops Limited was registered in the United Kingdom in 2003, with address 51 Southgate Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9EH and that you were one of the directors and secretary of the said company,” says the letter from BC Joshi, director, citizenship, in the home ministry.
The letter also says: “It has been further brought out in the complaint that in the company’s annual returns filed on October 10, 2005 and October 31, 2006, your date of birth has been given as June 19, 1970, and that you had declared your nationality as British.”
It further said that the company’s dissolution application, dated February 17, 2009, also referred to Rahul Gandhi’s nationality as British.
Subramanian Swamy first raised the allegation in 2015. In 2016, Rahul had accused him of misleading the nation and challenged him to substantiate his claims with documentary proof.
“This Is a manifestation of Modi and Amit Shah in panic mode,” Congress leader Sanjay Jha said while reacting to the notice.
