Examine the significance of the system of “Single Citizenship” within the country, as adopted by India when compared to the system of “Double Citizenship”, as adopted by the USA.
Answers
In India, the concept of single citizenship is adopted from the British constitution that is from united kingdom. In India, only single citizenship is available to citizens. One cannot be citizens of the state as well. This helps in increasing the feeling of nationality and encourages patriotism as it forges unity amidst regional and cultural differences. It also encourages fundamental rights such as the freedom of movement and residence in any part of the nation.
Single citizenship:-
In a federation there is basically double citizenship. A citizen belongs to the State where he is born and also enjoys the citizenship rights of the Federation, to which his state has joined as a unit. This is on the basic fact that the states in a federation are of course units, but do not at the same time, give up their individual entity. But in India, there is single citizenship. The citizens of the country belong to the Indian Union and not to any respective state.
Single citizenship in India:-
▪ Provision for single citizenship for the whole of India was conceivably intentional.
▪ The constitution fathers did not like that regionalism and other disintegrating tendencies which had already raised their ugly heads and were endangering the very security and integrity of the country, should be further encouraged by providing double citizenship.
▪ Provision for double citizenship would normally stand on the way of emotional and national integration.
▪ The people in the State would have thought more in terms of the State than the country as a whole.
▪ Single citizenship has undoubtedly forged a sense of unity among the people of India and the image of United India is reflected by this provision.