BackGeelani’s passport application incomplete, says MEA
No fee, no biometric details with the application, says MEA
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New Delhi: The foreign ministry on Thursday said it did not issue a passport to hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani as he had submitted incomplete application forms. The ministry’s clarification comes amidst media reports of Geelani not getting his passport to travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“We have seen media reports of Mr. Syed Ali Geelani’s passport application. An incomplete passport application was received from him. Fees were not paid and the biometric details and photographs not submitted. The application cannot be processed in its present form," foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swaroop said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, the home ministry said the request will be processed on “merit" as the travel document is the “right of every Indian citizen", the Press Trust of India reported.
The report quoting officials in the home and foreign ministries said a decision on it will be taken in consultation with the Jammu and Kashmir government only after Geelani visits the nearest passport office for biometrics.
“(A) Passport is the right of every Indian citizen and is issued by the ministry of external affairs after following due process. In case any applicant applies for the passport, he should fulfill all the formalities before his case is processed. As and when the matter is referred to the ministry of home affairs, we will process the case on merit," a home ministry spokesperson said.
Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which is in coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party, is divided over the issue. The PDP said it would approach the Centre for Geelani’s passport on “humanitarian" grounds while the BJP has said he should not be given the travel document till he “apologises" for anti-national activities.
According to the rules for issuing passports, the person applying for one has to go to an issuing office in person, submit his papers along with biometric details and then gets his passport issued.
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