What R Rajagopal's Passport Renewal Saga Reveals About Citizens' Rights in India
Political Backlash Over Passport Renewal Delay
New Delhi: The Congress party, Trinamool Congress, and CPI(M) have criticized the central government following remarks from R Rajagopal, a former editor of The Telegraph, who reported that his passport renewal was delayed due to his name being removed from West Bengal's electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Opposition figures argue that Rajagopal's situation exemplifies a broader decline in citizens' rights.
In a comprehensive statement, Rajagopal expressed feeling a "state of civic uncertainty," as he has been preoccupied with reconstructing old family records after a negative police report hindered his passport renewal due to his exclusion from the electoral rolls.
"Like approximately 2.7 million other residents of West Bengal, I was removed due to what were termed 'logical discrepancies.' Despite providing my matriculation certificate, no explanation was given, and my appeal is currently pending before a tribunal established under the Supreme Court's directives," Rajagopal noted.
"The most troubling aspect has been the status of my passport renewal application. Although I completed the biometric requirements on March 19, 2026, police verification remains pending because my name is absent from the electoral roll," he added.
He clarified that his intention was not to cast himself as a victim but to shed light on the challenges faced by ordinary citizens.
"If someone with a career in journalism and a background as an editor can face such obstacles, one can only imagine the struggles of those who are truly marginalized," he stated.
The post elicited strong political responses, with opposition leaders connecting his experience to the contentious SIR process conducted by the Election Commission in West Bengal prior to the assembly elections.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha remarked that this incident illustrates the "irrationality" that has permeated the nation.
"Are we truly intent on shedding the identity of a nation governed by the rule of law, a legacy carefully crafted by our founding fathers? What a shame!" he expressed on X.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose characterized Rajagopal's experience as "shocking" and "heart-wrenching."
"If this can happen to R Rajagopal, a former editor of The Telegraph, just imagine the hardships faced by citizens with far fewer resources," she commented.
CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby accused the SIR process of being a tool for disenfranchising individuals and advancing the BJP's divisive Hindutva agenda.
"From the beginning, CPI(M) warned that the SIR would disenfranchise the poor and vulnerable. Now, even a respected editor and journalist like R Rajagopal has been stripped of his voting rights," Baby stated.
The SIR initiative in West Bengal has ignited political and legal disputes, with many voters either removed from the rolls or placed under scrutiny.
The Supreme Court has refused to suspend the process but has mandated the establishment of appellate tribunals led by retired high court judges to address challenges against the removal of names.
Rajagopal's comments come amid ongoing legal battles and appeals stemming from the SIR process, with numerous petitioners claiming that despite presenting government-issued identification, their names were either deleted or placed under review.