E-Paper
TRS MLA loses citizenship for ‘hiding’ facts
This is perhaps the first time the citizenship of an elected representative has been cancelled for misrepresentation of facts.
The Union home ministry on Wednesday cancelled the Indian citizenship of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLA Chennamaneni Ramesh on grounds that he had held citizenship of Germany and didn’t fulfil the stipulated norms for becoming an Indian citizen a decade ago.
This is perhaps the first time the citizenship of an elected representative has been cancelled for misrepresentation of facts.
An order to this effect was issued by secretary, border management of the ministry of home affairs (MHA). “Under section 10 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, Ramesh Chennamaneni ceases to be a Citizen of India,” the 13-page order said.
Ramesh, who represented Vemulawada assembly constituency in Telangana, is the nephew of former Maharashtra governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao. Ramesh’s father, the late Ch Rajeshwar Rao, was a veteran Communist leader and five-time-MLA. who defected to the Telugu Desam Party.
Ramesh had gone to Germany for employment in the early 1990s and obtained German citizenship in 1993 when he surrendered his Indian passport. In 2008, he returned to India and applied for Indian citizenship, which was granted to him by the MHA.
He won election from the Vemulawada assembly constituency in the 2009 elections to the Andhra Pradesh assembly; the state .was bifurcated in 2014 when Telangana was carved out as a separate state.
Under the Citizenship Act, a person who applies for Indian citizenship should be present in India for at least for 12 months before the date of application. But a local leader, Adi Srinivas, who contested the election against him, complained to the MHA that Ramesh still held the German passport and had gone to Germany within the stipulated period of 12 months before being granted Indian citizenship.
A committee appointed by the ministry found Ramesh had concealed crucial material facts of his visits abroad during the 12 months immediately preceding his application for Indian citizenship.
The committee concluded: “It is clear that Dr Ramesh Chennamaneni had made a false representation and concealed facts regarding his citizenship application… Thus he obtained registration of citizenship by means of fraud, false representation and concealment of facts and his actions.”
The committee r observed, “as a public representative, greater responsibility is thrust on Dr Ramesh Chennamaneni to be fair in making his submissions. His conduct shall stand as an example to people whom he represents.”
In September 2017, the MHA cancelled the citizenship of Ramesh. He filed a review petition in the ministry and later moved the high court and obtained the stay order. Subsequently, he contested the assembly elections again in December 2018 and was elected from the same constituency for the third successive term.
The high court, which disposed of the case in July this year, referred the matter to the MHA again. After conducting an enquiry, the MHA on Wednesday issued the order again, cancelling his citizenship.
Reacting to the MHA order, Ramesh said he would once again move the high court. “I will continue my legal battle till I get a clean chit,” he said.
