Becomes U.S Citizen Second Time
He received his citizenship certificate on December 9, 1918, wearing military uniform as he was still serving in the U.S. army. However, the Immigration and Naturalization Service did not agree with the district court granting the citizenship. Thind's citizenship was revoked in four days, on December 13, 1918, on the grounds that he was not a "free white man".
Thind applied for citizenship again from the neighboring state, Oregon, on May 6, 1919. The same Immigration and Naturalization Service official who got Thind’s citizenship revoked first time, tried to convince the judge to refuse citizenship Thind. He even brought up the issue of Thind's involvement in the Gadar Party, members of which campaigned actively for the independence of India from the British Empire. Judge Wolverton, believing Thind, observed, "He (Thind) stoutly denies that he was in any way connected with the alleged propaganda of the Gadar Press to violate the neutrality laws of this country, or that he was in sympathy with such a course. He frankly admits, nevertheless, that he is an advocate of the principle of India for the Indians, and would like to see India rid of British rule, but not that he favors an armed revolution for the accomplishment of this purpose." The judge took all arguments and Thind’s military record into consideration and declined to agree with the INS. Thus, Thind received US citizenship for the second time on November 18, 1920.
Read more about this topic: Bhagat Singh Thind
Famous quotes containing the words citizen and/or time:
“The duty of the State toward the citizen is the duty of the servant to its master.... One of the duties of the State is that of caring for those of its citizens who find themselves the victims of such adverse circumstances as makes them unable to obtain even the necessities for mere existence without the aid of others.... To these unfortunate citizens aid must be extended by government—not as a matter of charity but as a matter of social duty.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
“No man was ever yet a great poet, without being at the same time a profound philosopher.”
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834)