The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday, November 20, cancelled the citizenship of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLA Ramesh Chennamaneni, saying that he misrepresented and concealed facts, and obtained the citizenship by fraud.
"It is not conducive to the public good that Dr Ramesh Chennamaneni continues to be a citizen of Indiaunder Section 10 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 decides that Dr Ramesh Chennamaneni ceases to be a Citizen of India," said the home ministry in a 13-page order.
The government said Chennamaneni had German citizenship and did not fulfil the criteria for seeking Indian citizenship in 2009.
"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," said the order.
Chennamaneni's response
In response to the order, Chennamaneni said that 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. He has challenged a Home Ministry order of December 2017 cancelling his citizenship.
Chennamaneni represents the Vemulawada constituency around 150 km from state capital Hyderabad. The case of his citizenship has been pending since he was first elected as an MLA from N Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 2009. He later joined Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's TRS and was re-elected in a by-election in 2010. He was elected to the Telangana assembly again in 2014 and 2018.
Citizenship cancelled for 'public good'
The government has said that greater responsibility is thrust on Chennamaneni as a lawmaker and "his conduct shall stand as an example to the people whom he represents."
"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'"
