Chennamaneni Ramesh Is Not Indian?

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has cancelled the Indian citizenship of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) legislator Dr Chennamaneni Ramesh for concealing facts. The Union home ministry has issued orders to this effect on Wednesday.

It is learnt that his rival Adi Srinivas filed a petition alleging that Ramesh had German citizenship who contested against him as the Congress candidate. The high court asked the ministry to inquire into Srinivas' complaint.

The ruling party legislator maintains that he had surrendered his Indian passport and took German citizenship in 1993. However, in 2009, he applied for Indian citizenship and was granted the same.

"His misrepresentation/concealment of fact misled the government of India in making its decision initially. Had he revealed the fact that he had not resided in India for one year before making the application, the competent authority in this ministry would not have granted citizenship to him," a home ministry order said. The order said as a public representative, greater responsibility is thrust on Chennamaneni to be fair in making his submissions.

"Any misrepresentation or concealment of fact at that level would certainly be not conducive to the public good," the order said and quoted a Supreme Court order stating "...It is a well-known canon of law that 'Caesar's wife should be above suspicion'" The ministry reasoned that if action was not taken against the MLA, it would become a precedent and many more such persons may obtain Indian citizenship by concealing the material facts and by misleading government of India.

Reacting to the order, Chennamaneni said, the high court earlier gave a positive decision. "But, Home Ministry did not consider that and again cancelled (citizenship). So, we will approach High Court again for safeguarding citizenship," he said, claiming the court gave him the option of approaching it again in case he failed to get a favourable decision from the ministry. Chennamaneni, who was re-elected to Telangana Assembly from the Vemulawada constituency last year, said he would approach the high court for relief.(with inputs from agencies)

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