The Congress on Tuesday hit back at the Narendra Modi government over questions being raised about its party president Rahul Gandhi's citizenship, calling it a malicious propaganda and diversionary tactic employed in the middle of election season. It also released documents in an effort to prove as being false the accusations made by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy that Rahul had declared himself as a British citizen in corporate paperwork in the UK.
“The entire world knows Rahul Gandhi is an Indian citizen by birth. Modiji has no answer for unemployment. Modiji has no answer for agrarian distress and black money. And this is the reason why he is resorting to fake narrative through his government's notices to divert attention,” said Randeep Surjewala, head of the AICC communications department.
He was reacting to the Union home ministry issuing a notice to Rahul, asking him to intimate to the ministry within a fortnight the factual position with regard to the questions that have been raised about his citizenship.
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The home ministry's communication dated April 29 stated that it had received a representation from Swamy in which it has been brought out that a company named Backops Limited was registered in the UK in 2003, with Rahul listed as one of the directors and secretary. The ministry further said that the complaint filed by Swamy claimed that the company's annual returns filed in 2005 and 2006 had Rahul declaring his nationality as British. It was also stated by Swamy that even in the dissolution application dated 17-2-2009 of the same company, Rahul's nationality was allegedly mentioned as British.
The Congress has responded by releasing documents pertaining to the 'Certificate of Incorporation' of Backops Limited dated August 21, 2003, in which Rahul is listed as 'Director 1', his date of birth is mentioned as 19-06-1970, and his nationality is given as Indian.
The party also pointed out that the Supreme Court had in 2015 dismissed a petition that sought action against Rahul for allegedly misleading the Indian authorities about his citizenship. The plea made by advocate M.L. Sharma was that the court should direct registration of a criminal case of fraud against Rahul.
A Supreme Court bench comprising then Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy had dismissed the petition.