January 30, 2018
NEW DELHI – The government has scrapped its decision to issue orange coloured passports for those who have not passed their Class 10 examination. This will also mean that the passports would continue to have the last page and could continue to be used as a valid proof of address.
January 30, 2018
NEW DELHI – The government has scrapped its decision to issue orange coloured passports for those who have not passed their Class 10 examination. This will also mean that the passports would continue to have the last page and could continue to be used as a valid proof of address.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said it had been decided to continue with the current practice of printing the last page of the passport and not to issue a separate passport with orange colour jacket to ECR (Emigration Clearance Required) passport holders.
Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj had reviewed the earlier decision after the government received a spate of representations against the change.
"After comprehensive discussions with the various stakeholders, the Foreign Ministry has decided to continue with the current practice of printing of the last page of the passport and not to issue a separate passport with orange colour jacket to ECR passport holders," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a statement.
The new orange passports were supposed to protect vulnerable labourers from exploitation abroad, but critics including Congress president Rahul Gandhi had argued that the orange and blue colour coding could lead to discrimination against poor and illiterate workers.
ECR or "Emigration Check Required" category is for applicants who haven't finished school and are travelling abroad for work to a group of 18 countries, most of them in Gulf. They have to get an 'Emigration clearance' certificate from the office of Protector of Emigrants before leaving India.
Mr. Gandhi had argued that this would lead to discrimination against India's migrant workers who would be treated like "second class citizens". This, he had tweeted, was completely unacceptable.
"This action demonstrates BJP's discriminatory mindset," Mr. Gandhi had said.
Courtesy/Source: PTI / NDTV
