Writer Aatish Taseer’s Citizenship Status Revoked, Denies Centre’s Charge
Writer Aatish Taseer’s Overseas Citizenship of India status has been revoked for not complying with “very basic requirements” and concealing information, the Home Ministry said on Thursday, disputing a media report suggesting the move was linked to a story published in the Time magazine in May.
The UK-born writer, however, countered the government saying he had not been given enough time to respond to the charges. Mr Taseer, according to sources, had “comprehensively replied” to the August 13 notice and now plans to legally challenge the revocation of his OCI status.
“Mr Aatish Ali Taseer, while submitting his PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) application, concealed the fact that his late father was of Pakistani origin,” Home Ministry spokesperson Vasudha Gupta tweeted.
Mr Taseer, son of journalist Tavleen Singh and late Pakistani politician and businessman Salmaan Taseer, had declared Ms Singh as his sole legal parent/guardian, sources said.
OCI status allows foreign citizen of Indian-origin to travel to India visa-free and gives them the right to live and work in the country indefinitely.
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