Kerala Cabinet gives in-principle nod to permanent Nativity Card
However, the announcement triggered sharp reactions from the BJP.
However, the announcement triggered sharp reactions from the BJP.
However, the announcement triggered sharp reactions from the BJP.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Cabinet has given in-principle approval for the introduction of a permanent, photo-embedded Nativity Card in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference, Vijayan said the proposed card would replace the existing nativity certificate, which currently has to be obtained repeatedly for different purposes and does not carry statutory legal validity.
The move, he said, is aimed at ensuring that no individual is forced to struggle to prove their identity, place of birth or long-term residence in the state. “No one should face a situation of exclusion. Every person should be able to establish before any authority that they were born in Kerala or are permanent residents. For this, an authentic document with legal backing is necessary,” the Chief Minister said.
Vijayan said the Nativity Card would serve as a legally valid document that can be used at all times in place of the nativity certificate for state government services and other social needs.
At present, people are required to obtain nativity certificates multiple times for different purposes, a long-standing public grievance, he noted, adding that the new card is expected to address this issue.
The Cabinet has entrusted the Revenue Department with preparing a draft law, in consultation with the Law Department, to confer statutory validity on the card and submit it for Cabinet approval. Once implemented, the card can be used as a beneficiary identification document for government services, with Tahsildars responsible for issuing it.
However, the announcement triggered sharp reactions from the BJP. State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the party would legally challenge the move, alleging that the proposal amounted to “dangerous separatist politics”. He claimed that the introduction of a photo-embedded Nativity Card was unnecessary and accused the state government of attempting to create unwarranted fear among the public.