Kolkata social activist writes to Sushma Swaraj for changing passport rule on infant fingerprinting

Now everyone knows government offices in India are not known for their hygienic atmosphere.

And exposing an infant to the unsanitized conditions of a Passport Seva Kendra can be a disturbing thought to any discerning parent, especially worrying over the infant contracting any communicable disease. 

People at the Regional Passport Office in Kolkata said they were helpless as it was a central government rule, according to media reports.

But Bhutoria was not a person to take it lying down. He wrote a letter to Sushma Swaraj, Union Minister of External Affairs and later tweeted it.

Congratulating the minister for the ‘laudable initiative’ of ‘ensuring that Indian passports would henceforth be in Hindi as well’, he also drew her attention to ‘an important aspect pertaining to the process of issuing passports to infants’.

He wrote, “I would like to draw your kind attention to the fact that, as per the extant norms, an infant born in India has to be taken to the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) office in order to comply with the formalities of getting a passport done.

"This is a very worrisome experience for those parents who find themselves in a situation where they need a passport for their days-old infant. It is also fraught with consequences as the infants are susceptible to diseases and infections and the risk of contracting it is very high. Since the PSK offices are visited by too many people, maintaining a proper sanitized environment conducive for the infants is not always possible.

In the light of the fact stated above, I humbly request you to kindly take up this matter and work out a mechanism to issue passports for infants in such a manner so that they are not exposed to any risk. I also feel that there is a need to re-evaluate the necessity of fingerprinting new-borns and work out viable alternatives.”

Sundeep Bhutoria is yet to receive a response from the MEA.

However, Bhutoria is not one to give up easily. He had earlier tackled several issues and seen them to the end, including installation of automated external defibrillator (AED) machine in the gymnasiums of five-star hotels in India; drawing attention to Indigo airlines authorities about the life jacket being kept on the floor during demonstrations, etc.

Wrote Bhutoria later, “I am not claiming that because of me these changes have come into effect. The point that I am trying to make is that if you do not react, how can you expect any change?”

Anxious parents are also waiting to hear from the MEA about its reaction to Sundeep Bhutoria’s letter.