'Was Rahul Gandhi a British citizen?': BJP raises questions about Cong president’s citizenship The returning officer has reportedly ordered postponing scrutiny of his nomination papers till Monday. DNA Web Team

Apr 20, 2019, 02:09 PM IST An advocate has filed an application against Rahul Gandhi raising questions about academic qualifications and citizenship. Advocate Ravi has filed an application against Amethi’s returning officer raising the questions. The returning officer has reportedly ordered postponing scrutiny of his nomination papers till Monday. Meanwhile, in a press conference at BJP headquarters, GVLN Rao asked: “Rahul Gandhi's legal representative doesn't have answers to questions raised by other candidates on details given in his nomination. They have asked time to counter the allegations. I think it's a matter of great surprise that the objections that have been raised regarding Rahul Gandhi's citizenship haven't been answered. Rahul Gandhi's name has been shown to be listed as a British citizen in documents related to a company in the UK. Was Rahul Gandhi a British citizen?” Read: Subramanian Swamy says Rahul's citizenship will be 'cancelled'

1. Ravi Prakash - Dhruv Lal's lawyer

1/5 Amethi Returning Officer Ram Manohar Mishra has ordered the postponement of scrutiny of Congress president Rahul Gandhi's nomination papers to April 22.

An Independent candidate, Dhruv Lal, has filed a complaint alleging discrepancies in Rahul's candidature.

"There are three basic issues we have raised," Ravi Prakash, who is Lal's lawyer, told ANI. One of the issues he has raised is on the "basis of a certificate of incorporation of a company registered in the UK wherein he has declared himself a UK citizen," Prakash alleged.

He said that under the Representation of People Act, a non-Indian citizen is barred from contesting elections in the country.

"On what basis has he become a British citizen? And, how did he obtain Indian citizenship now? Unless there is clarity over the matter, we have requested the Returning Officer not to accept Rahul Gandhi's nomination papers," Prakash said.

The lawyer alleged that there are no details mentioned in Rahul's election affidavit about the assets and properties of the UK company for the period between 2003 to 2009.

While alleging that there are a lot of issues in Rahul's educational qualifications, Prakash said: "His education qualifications don't match in the documents. He has used the name 'Raul Vinci' in his college and there are no certificates available in the name of Rahul Gandhi."

He added, "So, we are asking is Rahul Gandhi and Raul Vinci the same person? If it is not the case then we demand that he gives his original educational certificates, so that these can be verified."

Amethi, a traditional bastion of the Gandhi family, will go to polls on May 6. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.



2. Swamy reacts

2/5 Subramanian Swamy wrote: "Buddhu citizen likely to be cancelled because he cannot deny his British citizenship now. His tax returns are damning. Ensure BJP Govt returns on May 23 rd." Buddhu citizen likely to be cancelled because he cannot deny his British citizenship now. His tax returns are damning. Ensure BJP Govt returns on May 23 rd — Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) April 20, 2019



3. Swamy on Rahul's degree

3/5 Recently at the DNA conclave organised by Zee News, Subramanian Swamy had claimed that Rahul Gandhi had four passports, one of them in the name of Raul Vinci. He had also claimed that ‘Raul Vinci’ didn’t get an MPhil Degree as he failed ‘the Economics paper’. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also warned that a ‘public audit of Rahul Gandhi’s credentials may leave a lot to be answered’. Writing a blog titled India’s Opposition is on a “Rent a Cause” Campaign, he wrote: “One day the focus would be on the BJP candidate’s educational qualification, fully forgetting that a public audit of Rahul Gandhi’s academic credentials may leave a lot to be answered. Afterall, he got an M.Phil without a Masters degree.” He was reacting to Congress raising questions about Smriti Irani’s degree. Earlier, Subramanian Swamy posted a tweet claiming it was his Raul Vinci’s Cambridge certificate. He wrote: “Buddhu’s Cambridge Certificate says his name is Raul Vinci and he read MPhil and failed in National Economic Planning & Policy.”



4. Rahul vs Irani

4/5 The Congress president is pitted against BJP's Smriti Irani from Amethi in the current Lok Sabha elections. Smriti had lost from the seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Amethi, a traditional bastion of the Gandhi family, will go to polls on May 6. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.



5. Smriti vs Rahul