Government rejects Mehbooba Mufti's passport renewal, cites national security issue

Mehbooba Mufti shared the letter from Passport Office to her Twitter handle and expressed her frustration with the situation.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have opposed giving a passport to former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. She was informed of this decision through a letter sent to her by the passport officer in Srinagar. 

The letter reads, “Whereas the passport verification report received from the Additional Director General of the Police, J&K CID does not favour issuance of passport and has returned as Not recommended passport case”.

The rejection of her passport received a negative reaction from Mehbooba Mufti as well as from former CM Omar Abdullah.

Mehbooba Mufti shared the commutation letter from Passport Office to her Twitter handle and wrote, “Passport Office refused to issue my passport based on CID’s report citing it as ‘detrimental to the security of India. This is the level of normalcy achieved in Kashmir since Aug 2019  that an ex Chief Minister holding a passport is a threat to the sovereignty of a mighty nation.”

Passport Office refused to issue my passport based on CID’s report citing it as ‘detrimental to the security of India. This is the level of normalcy achieved in Kashmir since Aug 2019 that an ex Chief Minister holding a passport is a threat to the sovereignty of a mighty nation. pic.twitter.com/3Z2CfDgmJy

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 29, 2021

While former CM Omar tweeted, “What a shame J&K police is going along with this farce. How is it that Mehbooba Mufti was not a threat to the nation when her party was allied with the BJP? As Chief Minister she was incharge of the Home Department & head of the Unified Command, now suddenly she’s a threat!“ 

What a shame J&K police is going along with this farce. How is it that Mehbooba Mufti was not a threat to the nation when her party was allied with the BJP? As Chief Minister she was incharge of the Home Department & head of the Unified Command, now suddenly she’s a threat! https://t.co/Ye1tQmFIIc

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 29, 2021

However, the letter of rejection of passport to Mehbooba Mufti also reads that she can approach the Ministry of External Affairs to dispute the matter. 

“In case you have any grievances against the declaration you may appeal to joint secretary and Chief Passport Officer from the  Ministry of External Affairs within 30 days the date of receipt of the order (under section 11 of of the passport act 1967) who is the appellate authority under passport act,” the letter said.