The Modi government has discarded its plan to issue orange coloured passports to those citizens who have not cleared their Class 10 examination. However, the government has not yet decided on whether discontinue printing the last page of the passport, which is currently being used as a valid proof of address.
The foreign ministry on Tuesday a gave a statement, wherein they said it had been decided to continue with the current practice of printing the last page of the passport and not to produce a separate passport with an orange jacket to ECR (Emigration Clearance Required) passport holder. Currently, passports are given in three colours.
Government officers have a white passport, diplomats are issued red passports and all other passports are blue.
These changes were announced earlier this month by the government but Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj reviewed the decision after a spate of protests and representations.
“After comprehensive discussions with the various stakeholders, the Foreign Ministry has decided to continue with the current practice of printing of the last page of the passport and not to issue a separate passport with an orange colour jacket to ECR passport holders,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a statement.
Originally, the government had this idea of issuing new orange passports to protect vulnerable labourers from exploitation abroad, however, critics including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, slammed the government for issuing colour coding on passports as it could lead to discrimination against poor and illiterate workers.
ECR or “Emigration Check Required” category specially organised for applicants who haven’t finished school and are travelling abroad for work to a group of 18 countries, most of them in the Gulf. As per the norms, these migrant workers will have to get an ‘Emigration clearance’ certificate from the office of Protector of Emigrants ahead of leaving India.
Rahul Gandhi claims that such colour coding would lead to discrimination against India’s migrant workers who would be treated like “second class citizens”. According to him this step by the government was completely unacceptable, said in a tweet.
“This action demonstrates BJP’s discriminatory mindset,” Rahul Gandhi had said.