Is dual citizenship open to Dawood, asks Advani

Former deputy prime minister LK Advani said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's proposal for universal dual citizenship was ill advised as it overlooks several national security concerns.

He was speaking at the inaugural function of 'Vibrant Gujarat', a global investors' summit and a conference of non-resident Gujaratis (NRGs).

Questioning UPA Govt stand on universal dual citizenship, Advani asked, "Does this mean that all those who migrated to both West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) after Jan 26, 1950 would be welcomed with dual citizenship?

"Does this mean mafia dons like Dawood Ibrahim, Chota Shakeel and others who have found a safe haven in Pakistan and some Gulf countries would also be welcomed with dual citizenship.

"Does this mean that millions of Bangladeshi infiltrators staying in India under the conniving eyes of the Congress-Communist regimes can be granted dual citizenship?" asked Advani.

"It is precisely because of these considerations that the NDA government retained the sovereign right of barring certain countries from the list for the consideration of dual citizenship.

"It is strange that we are being blamed for this precautionary step. The prime minister is certainly ill-advised in disregarding the imperatives of national security in wanting to universalise the provisions of dual citizenship."

He also criticised Manmohan Sing for saying that little was done to implement the dual citizenship in the previous two editions of the PBD.

"Let me put the record straight, which gives a lie to the claim that 'little has happened to implement' the NDA government's promise on dual citizenship.

"On December 23, 2003, the NDA government got the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2003 passed in the parliament. This legislation confers the right of dual citizenship to PIOs who are citizens of 16 countries," Advani said.

"I am one of those who genuinely believe that Manmohan Singh is a good man. However, I must say I was baffled and deeply disappointed that he should have surrendered himself to the temptation of a politically motivated denigration of the NDA government."

"Our government had also made it clear that more countries would be added to this list based on two guiding factors - the local legal system of each country and considerations of India's national security.