Union Govt. To Process Passport Request of Geelani on Merit

21 May ,New Delhi
Government will process the passport request of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to visit Saudi Arabia on merit.
The Home Ministry spokesperson said in New Delhi that the passport is the right of every Indian citizen and is issued by the External Affairs Ministry after following due process. He said as and when the matter is referred to the Home Ministry, it processes the case on merit.

Ruling PDP and BJP in Jammu and Kashmir are divided on giving passport to Geelani. PDP President Mehbooba Mufti had said that he should be given passport on humanitarian grounds.
While BJP which is an ally of PDP, insists that he should not be given the travel document till he apologizes for his anti-national activities. The separatist leader and his wife had submitted an online application for passport so that they could travel to Saudi Arabia to visit their ailing daughter.

Earlier in the day, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju Thursday said there is a need to take a rational call on the issuance of passport to separatist leader. When asked weather there is any black list in which Geelani’s name figures, the Minister said he can not spell out details as the list is not static.

He also accused the Congress of playing politics on the issue saying it is not good for the nation. Reacting to the issue, Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan alleged that the BJP has surrendered its grand stand on patriotism and fight against separatists.
He said Rijiju’s statement on passport is purely an opportunistic call for political survival in J&K.