India, June 25 -- The Centre on Thursday sought to quell controversy over whether an Indian passport can be treated as proof of citizenship, asserting that the position is neither new nor a recent policy shift.

"It was not decided yesterday that the Passport is not a proof of citizenship. It was not even decided in the last 12 years," a government official said, adding that the legal position has existed for decades.

The clarification comes a day after the ministry of external affairs (MEA), during a detailed briefing on Passport Seva Divas, said that a passport is primarily a travel document and should not be treated as conclusive proof of citizenship. The remarks triggered criticism from Opposition leaders and sparked a wider debate o...