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Supreme Court Dismisses Claim Rahul Gandhi Is Secret Brit


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Last month, Rahul Gandhi was asked by the government to respond within 15 days to a complaint that he is a British citizen.

NEW DELHI: 

In a reprieve for Rahul Gandhi in the middle of the national election, a petition questioning his citizenship was dismissed today by the Supreme Court.

The petition filed by two Delhi residents wanted the Supreme Court to direct the government to decide whether Rahul Gandhi was a British citizen and whether he should be allowed to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi and Wayanad, and then "fill a seat" in parliament.

The petitioners - Jai Bhagwan Goyal and Chander Prakash Tyagi - had said that in a form along with the annual data of a UK-based company in 2005-06, it was allegedly mentioned that Rahul Gandhi is a British citizen.

"If some company in some form mentions his nationality as British, does he become a British citizen," the top court bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said.

Last month, Rahul Gandhi was asked by the government to respond within 15 days to a complaint that he is a British citizen. The complaint was from BJP parliamentarian Subramanian Swamy, who has for years been accusing the Congress president of lying about his nationality.

Rahul Gandhi was asked to give a "factual" reply on his citizenship. India does not allow dual nationality and only Indian citizens can contest elections.

The request filed in the top court had said that the petitioners were "dissatisfied" with the "inaction" of the centre and the Election Commission in "deciding the question of voluntary acquisition of British citizenship" by Rahul Gandhi in spite of a November 2015 communication by Subramanian Swamy.

Subramanian Swamy, a fierce critic of the Gandhis, first raised the allegation in 2015 in a complaint to the ethics committee of parliament, and has repeated it several times since.

The petitioners also wanted a direction to the Election Commission to remove Mr Gandhi's name from the "electoral roll till the decision of the question of acquisition of his British citizenship".

 

In 2015, the Supreme Court dismissed another petition on Rahul Gandhi's citizenship and had called  it "too frivolous and an attempt to start a roving inquiry".

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"Just because some company named Rahul Gandhi a British citizen, does he become a British citizen?" Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi asks petitioner.

 

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition to debar Congress president Rahul Gandhi from contesting the Lok Sabha polls and “becoming a Member of Parliament” after he had “voluntarily acquired British nationality.”

The petition alleged that Mr. Gandhi acquired British nationality on the basis of an incorporation certificate of BACKOPS Limited, a defunct company in that country, and returns filed by it.

The plea was filed by Jai Bhagwan Goyal, a "social worker", shortly after the Ministry of Home Affairs issued notice to Mr. Gandhi on the question of his "dual citizenship."

"Just because some company named Rahul Gandhi a British citizen, does he become a British citizen?" Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi asked Mr. Goyal.

Mr. Goyal's lawyer voiced the apprehension that Mr. Gandhi may even become the prime minister despite his 'dual citizenship'.   

"He is not aspiring to be Prime Minister... But if 123 crore people say 'be the PM', would you mind?" Chief Justice Gogoi asked Mr. Goyal.

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