Govt.'s turnaround in Sonia citizenship issue

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI, OCT. 11. The Vajpayee Government seems to have set at rest the controversy over the citizenship of the Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, by informing the Delhi High Court that ``once a citizenship is acquired (by her) under the Citizenship Act, 1955, there is no distinction in the citizens either under the Constitution or under the Citizenship Act.''

In its affidavit filed before the court, the Centre has categorically stated that ``under the Constitution no distinction can be drawn within the `single class of citizens'.''

It must be noted that only recently the Supreme Court had held that Ms. Gandhi was a citizen of India by virtue of her naturalisation and certificate of citizenship obtained under the Citizenship Act two decades ago.

The Centre's affidavit, coming soon after the Apex court judgment, was in response to a petition filed by the Rashtriya Mukti Morcha (RMM) challenging the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan's decision to invite Ms. Gandhi to explore the possibility of forming a government after the fall of the Vajpayee Government by one vote in the Lok Sabha in April 1999.

The affidavit noted that while the Constitutions of other countries made a distinction between a naturally-born citizen and other type of citizens, the Indian Constitution did not make any such distinction. It showed a conscious effort on the part of the framing fathers of the Constitution not to make a distinction between the `single class of citizens', the Centre said.

Ever since Ms. Gandhi became a Member of Parliament, the BJP-led Government wanted to keep her citizenship issue alive. But by asserting its stand before the court and making the position clear, the Government seems to have accepted the Apex court verdict in favour of Ms. Gandhi and does not want to precipitate the matter further.

Mr. P.A. Sangma, MP and leader of the Nationalist Congress Party had submitted study papers to the panel Chairman, Mr. Justice M.N. Venkatachalaiah and initiated a discussion on the question of Indian citizens of foreign origin holding high constitutional positions like Prime Minister and President.

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