NEW DELHI: Even as the passport officer who had stirred a controversy for his alleged bigotry behaviour towards an interfaith couple was transferred, Congress and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday slammed the BJP for "fuelling hatred" and "dividing India".
"Obnoxious demand by MEA officials for conversion, in order to issue a passport reflect the 'psyche of hatred & division' which the BJP has imbibed. It seeks to divide the minds, hearts & soul of Indians and is an assault on our Constitutional values!" Congress leader Randeep S Surjewala tweeted.
Surjewala's condemnation came following a complaint by an interfaith couple yesterday alleging discriminatory behaviour by an officer, Vikas Mishra, at Passport Sewa Kendra in Lucknow.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi too lashed out at the ruling party for spreading communal hatred and poison, particularly against the Dalits and the Muslims.
"Since BJP came to power they've spread hatred and communal poison against minorities, Muslims in particular and Dalits. Things have come to such stage that government officer has the audacity to question an adult's marriage," Owaisi said.
Following furore, the administration transferred Mishra from Lucknow to
Gorakhpur and a show-cause notice was also served in his name.
Mishra refuted the allegations and said that the 'nikahnama' (wedding certificate) had a different name from the name mentioned in applicant's other documents.
Mishra refuted the allegations, saying that the wife had a different name in her '
nikahnama
', or wedding certificate, compared with her other documents, which is why he asked for more proof. He also denied saying "it is a duty for a woman to get her name changed after marriage" or telling the husband he should "convert to Hinduism".
"She was showing
nikahnama
that had her name as 'Shazia Anas' but had said on documents that she has not changed her name. Why did she not endorse this on paper? I asked her to endorse her 'nikah' name, but she said she did not want to do that, which is when I sent her to the higher official," said Mishra.
Yesterday, in a five-part tweet to the minister, and in an email to her, Tanvi said that she was asked to "change her name as is the duty of all girls after marriage". In addition, her husband Anas was asked to "convert to Hinduism and take
pheras
" if he wanted his passport renewed, she alleged.
"He told Anas to convert to Hinduism for his passport to be renewed. This is a case of moral policing and religious prejudice. I was made to feel insulted; I broke down," said Tanvi in a tweet addressed to external affairs minister
Sushma Swaraj. The external affairs ministry also sought a report from the Lucknow office about the unsavoury episode from yesterday.
"When I reached counter C5, the official, Vikas Mishra, told me there was an issue with my file since I had married a Muslim, and yet retained my maiden name. He shouted at me and insulted me in front of everyone and sent me to the office of an additional passport officer, who was sympathetic to me and asked me to reach the main branch in Gomtinagar on Thursday," said Tanvi, who has a six-year-old daughter with Anas, to TOI.
