It comes as a shock that 428 Goans have obtained foreign passports in the last three months after surrendering their Indian passports according to a list compiled by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office at Goa and submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer and two district collectors. The data has been forwarded to the CEO to take appropriate action since the 428 individuals have ceased to be Indian citizens and do not have a mandate to vote in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
And now picture this: Political parties are fighting pitched battles over what they project as an ambition to safeguard the Constitution. Leaders striking an emotional chord, wearing patriotism on their sleeves and creating an illusion of sharp divisions have been the order of the day. Unfortunately, there is a vast section of society which is growing weary of the din outside and chooses to quietly walk away from the country by surrendering their passports. An average of slightly less than five people walking out of citizenship daily is something very serious.
Between 2020 and 2023 there were over 2,000 Goans who surrendered their Indian passports, and there were 116 whose passports were revoked. There would be thousands, if not lakhs, who have their births registered in Portugal and acquired either Assento or the Bilhete de Identidade (BI). Where are we heading?
The question is, Goa has a genuine issue to deal with beyond those fights of safeguarding the Constitution of India. The people of Goa form a major part of the identity of the State, and the exodus does not bode well for the future because we are losing out on valuable human resources.
The vexed citizenship issue should be seen in a wider perspective by the State government. The compelling circumstances under which people are taking recourse to foreign citizenship have a direct correlation to the lack of job opportunities in the State. Let's be honest about the fact that the employment scenario continues to be bleak despite the assurances and despite initiatives like job melas, the skilling and upskilling fundas, and repetitive talk on the promotion of industries.
The Centre did blink. A recent directive by the Ministry of External Affairs to accept Letters of Revocation of passports for processing OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) forms is a move that will give respite for some who are trapped in the middle of processes. The problem is that this move does not resolve the larger issue.
A direct argument for dual citizenship may be premature at this time because it would mean tweaking laws, but the State government must understand the gravity of the situation, the fiscal situation it is currently grappling with and the unemployment it is dealing with. Working out a solution to the citizenship issue would be a win-win situation for the State because it would leave a window open for those who have migrated.
While the citizenship issue has been picked as a poll plank by the Congress, the BJP government has maintained that it is under consideration by the Centre. It is to be seen how forcefully Chief Minister Pramod Sawant pursues this matter post-poll.
