Centre's notice to Rahul Gandhi over citizenship row

New Delhi: Days before the high-profile contest in Amethi between Rahul Gandhi and Smriti Irani, the Union home ministry on Monday served a notice on the Congress president seeking a clarification on his citizenship status. The Congress party was quick to cry foul.

The Home Ministry notice to Mr Gandhi sought a reply within 15 days on his “factual position” on his citizenship status following a representation from BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy.

Mr Swamy’s letter mentioned that in a British company’s annual returns filed on October 10, 2005, and October 31, 2006, Mr Gandhi’s date of birth has been given as June 19, 1970, and he had declared his nationality as British, the ministry said.

It said it has been brought out that a company named Backops Limited was registered in the United Kingdom in 2003 with Mr Gandhi as one of its directors.

The Congress Party at a press conference brandished documents of the said company which lists Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship as Indian.

Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the Home Ministry notice showed the deperation of the Modi government.

The BJP described Mr Gandhi as a “man of mysteries”. BJP spokes-person Sambit Patra asked “which is the real one — Rahul Gandhi London wale or Lutyens wale.”