Former editor of The Telegraph, R Rajagopal, has finally received his renewed passport. This was, according to a statement issued last week by the veteran journalist that his passport renewal was stalled after his name was deleted from West Bengal’s electoral rolls as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
The electoral exercise had previously invited criticisms when several people alleged that they were removed from the voters’ list despite having proper documents. With Rajagopal’s case gaining nationwide attention, and criticism of the SIR at the same time, the Kolkata police had initiated proceedings to renew the document after initially refusing to do so.
On Saturday, Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas posted on his X handle that the journalist had finally received his renewed passport. In the post, Brittas also shared a letter of gratitude from the journalist.
Rajagopal wrote that, though he had finally received his passport, the issue was a reminder that it was not about one citizen seeking to renew his passport.
“Rather, it questions a concern of public policy that could affect countless people across the country,” he said.
Stating that public representatives across party lines should continue to raise the issue until policy clarity was obtained, Rajagopal said citizens should not be left uncertain about the consequences of an electoral process that was never intended to determine citizenship or passport entitlement.
A clear statement from the Ministry would prevent unnecessary hardship and ensure uniformity in the administration of the law. While it is a relief that he has finally received it after a long delay, it was deeply unfortunate that he had to miss his daughter’s wedding because of this bureaucratic hurdle, he wrote.
After the journalist had made it public that he was denied a passport renewal because of his name getting deleted during the SIR, Brittas had taken up the issue with the Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar.
