The Indian passport and the proposed changes to be made to it were much in the news recently. It was proposed that the colour of the passports of some people would be changed to orange. However, there was a large-scale public outcry against this proposed move and the social media was positively heaving with displeasure. The proposed change over to orange passports will no longer be executed. Our passports will remain blue.
Indian passports are of three colours: red for diplomats, white for government employees travelling on official work and blue for the rest of us. The blue passport colour is the same for every citizen whether they require emigration checks or not. The proposed passport changes were to change the colour of the passports of those needing emigration checks to orange.
The proposal for changing the passport colour for some Indian citizens was aimed at streamlining the process of immigration checks. The last page of the passport containing details about the citizen's residence and details of parents was also proposed to be removed. The government’s rationale for changing the passport colour was that this measure would help protect vulnerable labourers from exploitation abroad.
The change was also supposed to curb human trafficking and make it more difficult since those with orange passports would automatically be subjected to closer checks. The proposed passport changes, however, attracted criticism and sparked debate about the discriminatory nature of the proposed changes.
While the issue of exploitation of Indians working abroad is a serious one – particularly Indians working in the Gulf countries – the change in the colour of a passport seemed to be a strange solution to the problem. People who travel aboard for jobs that require little education or skill, are required to undergo certain emigration checks. It was proposed that the passports of these people be changed to orange. People who have passed Class X or Indians who pay income tax are not required to undergo checks and their passports would continue to be blue.
The proposed move may have been well-intentioned, but critics felt that they would worsen social divisions and deepen differences between the way the rich and poor are treated in India. Even now; the way that different classes or people are treated by officials is vastly different; the situation would only worsen if the proposed colour change was put into place.
When an Indian with an orange passport landed in a foreign country they would start off at a significant disadvantage and this could possibly harm their future prospects as well, felt critics.
Leaders of the opposition, as well as other influential voices, have spoken out strongly against the proposed changes. Many representations were also made to Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj that the changes; far from protecting poor travellers, would actually exacerbate discrimination against the poor. In the event, it was decided that all regular Indian passports will remain blue. The proposed change to orange coloured passports for those requiring emigration clearances is now dropped. The last page of the passport, which was proposed to be removed, will also be retained.
The U-turn by the government on this issue is of a piece with the many U-turns this government has made about various policies. While in the opposition, the party was among the most vociferous opponents of Aadhaar cards and of Foreign Direct Investments, now having assumed power at the centre, the party has done a 180-degree volte-face on both these issues. After implementing demonetisation and GST, numerous policy changes and tweaks followed. The question begs to be asked – shouldn’t the government do its homework better before making policies and announcements; thereby obviating the need to correct itself later?
One does also wonder if it was the protest from within the political class that resulted in this latest U-turn. After all, there are those sitting in Indian parliament and legislative assemblies who would have found their regular passports turning orange!
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