Nepalese Appearance Row: Haryana To Issue Passport To Ambala Sisters

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Thursday directed authorities to initiate the process to issue the passports for the two sisters who were earlier denied by the authorities as they look like ‘Nepalese’. The authority also initiated a prob into the matter.

A controversy was triggered few days ago when the two women were denied passports because of their ‘Nepalese appearance’.

Regional passport office in Chandigarh had denied passports to Santosh and Heena, residents of Ambala, and wrote on their documents that "applicant seems to be Nepali".

Later, the duo had approached the Haryana Home Minister who asked authorities to look into the matter.

After receiving the order, officials said process has been begun and the passports would be issued to them soon.

Meanwhile, Ambala’s Deputy Commissioner Ashok Sharma, told news portal The Hindu that a few days ago the duo, along with their father Bhagat Bahadur, had approached the passport office to apply for their respective passports. The news portal says Sharma admitted the fact that Santosh and Heena’s applications were turned down after mentioning on their documents- “applicant seems to be Nepali.”

Ambala’s Deputy Commissioner said the passport office reached out the sisters and now their passports will be issued soon.