Home Minister Rajnath Singh played down the Centre’s notice to Congress president Rahul Gandhi seeking explanation for the citizenship allegations made by a parliamentarian.

Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Singh said that the notice is part of “normal process”.

“When a Member of Parliament writes to any ministry, action required on their query is taken. It is not a big development, it is normal process,” he said.

Earlier today, the Home Ministry sent a notice to the 48-year-old Congress chief seeking clarification on the “factual position” on an accusation by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy that Gandhi holds British citizenship.

Swamy has alleged that Gandhi declared his nationality as British in records of a UK-registered company called Backops Limited.

“I am directed to say that this ministry has received a representation from Dr Subramanian Swamy, in which it has been brought out that a company named Backops Limited was registered in the United Kingdom in the year 2003, with address 51 Southgate Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9EH and that you were one of the directors and secretary of the said company,” the letter from BC Joshi, Director, Citizenship, Home Ministry, read.

The letter further added the complaint mentioned that in the company’s annual returns filed on October 10, 2005, and 31 October 2006, Gandhi’s date of birth has been given as June 19, 1970, and that the Congress president had declared his nationality as British.

The notice pointed out that the complainant has mentioned that the Dissolution application of the company dated 17/02/2009, too, had Gandhi’s nationality as British.

The Congress chief, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections 2019 from Amethi and Wayanad, has been given two weeks time to respond.

In Lucknow, Rajnath Singh met the city Eidgah Imam Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali and Shia clerics Maulana Agha Roohi and Maulana Yasoob Abbas.

Singh, the sitting MP from Lucknow, is aiming for a second term from the seat. Other key contenders include SP-BSP-RLD coalition candidate Poonam Sinha and Congress’ Pramod Krishnam.