UP: Passoport issued to Hindu-Muslim couple after getting harassed, officer transferred

Outraged by the official’s behavior the couple took to their Twitter accounts and sought help from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Lucknow: A Passport office official here stooped to an outrageous level, as he passed shameful comments on a woman, who had gone for getting her passport made on June 19. Tanvi Seth had deposited a form for a passport in the passport office, where she went with her husband Anas Siddiqui. Soon after depositing the form, the couple was called for an interview, where the woman was told “There is a problem with you. You married a Muslim, so how can your name be- Tanvi Seth? It’s your duty to get your name changed”. Tanvi and Anas had a love marriage 12-years-ago. Levelling serious charges against the official Anas claimed that “passport office official Vikas Mishra asked me to change my religion and asked me to take 7 pheras and perform a Hindu-style-marriage”. As per Anas, Vikas also started screaming at him as soon as she reached him with her form. Outraged by the official’s behavior the couple took to their Twitter accounts and sought help from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. “hello ma’am I type this tweet with immense faith in justice and in you and ironically with a lot of anger / hurt and agony in my heart because of the way I was treated at the Lucknow passport office at Ratan Square by Mr. Vikas Mishra the reason because I  married a Muslim and not changed my name ever. He spoke to me very rudely and was loud enough for others to hear while discussing my case. I have never felt so harassed ever before. The other workers at the office acknowledged his rude demeanour” the post read. Taking congnisance of the incident, EAM Sushma Swaraj got the accused passport officer Vikas transferred.