Lucknow passport row: Shiv Sena seeks postponement on officer's transfer

A delegation of Shiv Sena ministers on Saturday met Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and handed over a memorandum to him, seeking a postponement on the transfer of the passport officer, who was accused of harassing an interfaith couple.

Tanvi Sethi and Mohammad Anas Siddiqui recently took the social media by storm for their alleged humiliation at the Lucknow passport office.

The officer in question, Vikas Mishra, was transferred with immediate effect on June 21 and the couple was handed over their new passports.

"The government was trying to appease Muslims. It is a matter of national security. We will honour officer Vikas Mishra who tried to stop this but was transferred," the delegation, led by Anil Singh, told ANI.

Further, defending the Lucknow passport officer, the delegation said, "He (Mishra) was actually doing his work diligently."

Tanvi had alleged that the officer had asked her to change her name as every married woman should and told Anas to convert to Hinduism if they wanted their files to move. She also claimed that others in the passport office did not even react to his "rude demeanour."

Later, Mishra had refuted the couple's claims, saying that he was taking necessary precautionary measures to ensure there was no forgery involved.

"I asked Tanvi Seth to get the name 'Shadia Anas' endorsed as it was mentioned on her Nikahnama (marriage contract), but she refused. We have to do thorough checks to ensure no person is changing their name to obtain a passport," he told ANI.