The Government of India's Registration Certificate (RC) and Identity Certificate (IC), which are issued to Tibetans in exile in India. Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal
By Lobsang Wangyal
McLEOD GANJ, India, 1 October 2018
Tibetans in India eligible to apply for Indian passport continue to face harassment and roadblocks despite the court order to grant them passports.
The Minister of External Affairs issued directives streamlining the processing of passport applications, but the Tibetans still face run-around at every step.
Following a High Court of Delhi order on 14 September 2018 to streamline processing of passport applications, MEA sent a directive on 17 September to all the passport-issuing authorities to allow surrender of Tibetans’ Registration Certificate (RC) and Identity Certificate (IC) at their offices. But Tibetans are now being told that they will have to come back again later, after their RC is sent to the applicable FRO, who will cancel the RC.
A fresh applicant who went to Shimla to submit his application last week told Tibet Sun that the officials at the RPO were interpreting the MEA directive differently, making the process more difficult rather than less.
The person, who did not wish to be named, said that according to the MEA directive, one could go with their application and surrender their RC and IC then and there at the same time of submitting the application.
“I was sent from one office to another, then they told me to come back to apply after my RC has been cancelled by the FRO. They didn’t have any idea how and when I will be informed about the RC cancellation by the FRO. The wait seems to be long, ” he said.
The applicant was informed that the IC would be sent to Delhi for cancellation. However, the government directive states that the RPOs would accept the surrender of the IC.
“I thought that the government’s directive streamlining the process would make it easier to apply for a passport, but this is turning out to be a nightmare,” the frustrated applicant said.
Meanwhile, another fresh applicant from Bandhara Tibetan settlement, who applied in Nagpur RPO has been told that she was not eligible to apply, saying that her parents were not born in India between 1950-1987, although she herself was born in India in 1978, making her qualify for passport.
The Citizenship Law of India 1955 says that anybody born in India between 26 January 1950 and 1 July 1987 are citizens of India, and therefore eligible for Indian passport.
Speaking to Tibet Sun, this applicant said, “The official was not budging from her stand despite my requests that she was understanding it incorrectly. I was born in India in 1978, and I am eligible to apply for a passport irrespective of where my parents were born.”
Seeing no other option, this applicant is now planning to file a case in the court.
Over the last two years, for every step of the passport application process, officials have refused to follow the application rules, or even invented their own rules in order to block the process. Many Tibetans have had to seek the help of the courts to get their passports, despite the clear orders from those same courts.
Why are Tibetans always at the losing end of things? Dalai Lama says stateless Tibetans are luckiest people in the world due to our culture and our leader HH, the emanation of Avalokitesvara. But daily life experience suggests that Tibetans are the most pathetic, woebegone bunch of folks, trampled upon by everyone, even the goddam Nepalis.
I mean, Tibetans in Tibet can’t get Chinese passport. Tibetans in India can’t get Indian Passport. Are China and India joining hands to bully Tibetans? But then, why do Tibetans are seeking citizenship of other countries with more passion and urgency than the return of Dalai Lama to Tibet?
Do we seriously believe taking citizenship of India and China is a positive step towards hardening, and reinforcing our Tibetan identity? Really?
The three provinces of Tibet has just been torpedoed by US Congress with RATA 1872 which wrote off Kham and Amdo as area outside of ‘Tibet’. And why aren’t we outraged? Indirectly, US accepts Chinese claim that Kham and Amdo are Chinese provinces with only TAR qualifying as Tibet.
I think Tibetan leadership is going bit made, and out of its mind. Are we going mad? Are are in such a state that we can no longer differentiate what is of benefit to us, and what is of loss to us. We are all dumped. And the Tibetan citizenship issue is exasceberating the already bad sitaution.
Next time, somebody please file contempt of court’s order against the officers interpreting the order wrongly and not adhering to it with ill intent.
I wonder how did Gyari Dolma, Speaker of TGiE, Youdon Aukatsang and others got their Indian passport made!!!
They paid bribes. Simple.
You bet they did!!! It is ironic this very same Gyari Dolma said they Tibetan Government in Exile will not get donations if we all procure Indian passports!! Hahhaha
But Gyari Dolma is true. Let’s imagine… every single Tibetan in India holds Indian passport.
Can we still say CTA nees donations for Tibetan refugees?
I’m bit familiar with white people’s mentality. Once a person holds a citizenship, that person no longer is a refugee.
Even I would feel Tibet cause is over if all 85,000 Tibetans hold Indian passport because then it is the responsiblity of the Indian government to look after them.
It is even more funny then. Do we stay stateless and sacrifice all opportunities and good things in life for these donations?
Tibetans in US, Canada, Europe etc should put in money to sustain CTA. Tibetans in India is already burdened so much and have done all they could. They shouldn’t be held guilty if they wish little bit of comfort.
Not surprised at all! I have said exactly what’s going to happen in my earlier comment to your news regarding Delhi High Court ruling. I have said at that time that the honourable court only pass a judgement but the ones implementing at the ground level find ways to delay the procedure or completely reject the application on flimsy grounds. Unless some of these high handed officials are booked for contempt of court, this vicious cycle will continue. Each applicant will be required to approach the court for submission of RC and IC.