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Geelani's passport plea after formalities completed: Rajnath
Kashmir Times. Dated: 5/23/2015 2:50:34 PM
NEW DELHI, May 22 (Agencies): Union home minister Rajnath Singh today clarified that the government has no objections to give a passport to separatist Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
The minister further said that the government will consider Geelani's passport application after the completion of due formalities.
"If it comes to us after due formalities, we will think over it.... We have no objections," Singh told reporters.
The home minister's statement comes a day after the Ministry of External Affairs said that an incomplete passport application was received from the hardline Hurriyat leader.
It also said that fees were not paid, and that biometric details and photographs were not submitted.
Geelani has applied for a passport along with his wife and son so that they can visit his ailing daughter in Saudi Arabia.
Jammu and Kashmir's ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are, however, in conflict over the issue.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti wants a passport issued to Geelani but the BJP is bitterly opposed.
On Thursday, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said that Geelani should declare he is an Indian to get a passport.
Mehbooba Mufti had, however, told reporters on Wednesday that she would see to it that Geelani gets the passport as it was a humanitarian issue.