The Citizenship Audit
Who Decides Who Belongs?
The letter had arrived with the official government seal.
“Dear Resident, Your citizenship status is under review due to online activities that may conflict with national security. Report for Citizenship Audit at your nearest Verification Center within 48 hours.”
Rohan stood outside the Verification Center, clutching the notice in his fist. The line snaked down the block. Tense faces all around, eyes downcast. They were all there for the same reason.
It started with him—the billionaire who got his dual citizenship revoked. The one who tweeted his disdain for the current administration and funded campaigns questioning our country’s decisions. When the petition reached a million signatures, they stripped him of his passport and his rights as a citizen of our country.
Not that he cared. He had more citizenships granted worldwide than people have shoes.
The headlines called it a victory for national security, while politicians deemed it ‘a necessary step for unity.’ It was supposed to be a one-time measure. But then it happened again. And again.
Anyone who questioned the government or spoke against it became a “risk.” Even opinions on social media were not spared.
Rohan hadn’t even posted or commented. He merely liked a meme online. A sarcastic meme about the government’s new initiative, mocking the slogan, “Together, We Are Strong.” He scrolled past it and tapped the heart without a second thought. He thought it was funny.
The waiting room inside the Verification Center was bare and cold. A man behind him muttered, “I heard they’re taking passports. People are disappearing.” Another voice chimed, “Can’t believe... they’re questioning us because of a tweet.”
Rohan’s stomach tightened.
His father had warned him. “Keep your head down. We’re guests here, no matter how long we’ve stayed. Always remember that.” He used to laugh at that, waving his passport at him. “I was born here, Dad. I belong.”
“That is just paper… it doesn’t make us one of them. And people like us have never gotten to call a place home for long, son.”
The auditor called his name. Icy blue eyes stared out from beneath razor-neat hair, framed by a flawlessly pressed uniform.
“Follow me.”
Rohan was escorted to a small colorless room, a camera steadily blinking in the corner.
He tapped on his tablet.
“You liked a post, from a flagged account, mocking the national initiative,” he stated flatly.
“It was just a joke,” Rohan stammered. “A meme.”
The auditor didn’t look up. “Do you support the national agenda?”
“Yes. I... I support unity.”
The man looked up, settling on Rohan’s face, lingering a moment too long. Rohan felt the weight of his stare
“Unity?”
Rohan nodded. “I think... I think we should all stand together.”
The auditor leaned back. “All?”
Rohan paused. “Yes. All citizens… of our country.”
The man’s lips twitched, almost a smile. “All citizens,” he echoed. He glanced back down, fingers hovering over the screen. “Interesting.”
His voice was monotone. “Your parents... were they born here too?”
Rohan hesitated, his voice faltering. “No... but I was.”
The man nodded slowly, as if that confirmed something. “Of course.”
He made a note on his tablet. “Your loyalty is... under review.”
Rohan’s heart pounded. “But…I was born here,” he repeated, his voice cracking. “I went to school here. I pay my taxes. How can I be under review?”
The auditor’s face remained blank. “Citizenship isn’t about where you’re born. It’s about what you believe.”
Rohan heard the unspoken words. The ones that hung in the air, invisible but heavy: It’s about who you are.
The auditor stood abruptly, signaling the end. “You’ll receive our decision in the mail. In the meantime, do not leave the country.”
Rohan walked out numbly, feeling the sudden weight of an identity suddenly under suspicion.
Outside, the line had grown longer. Faces bearing similar features, all wondering when belonging had become conditional. When had citizenship started to feel like a privilege that could be taken away?
As he walked past the Verification Center, he looked up at the country’s flag fluttering above.
It no longer felt like his.
If you are confusing this with real news, please unplug your Wi-Fi router, go outside and touch some grass to get back to reality. Full disclaimer here.