the goan I network
PANAJI
An organisation fighting for rights of lower caste people Bharat Mukti Morch along with small fishermen organisation from Goa have demanded immediate repeal of Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 and de-notification of National Population Register, terming the legislations would have huge impact on the community and people who have acquired Portuguese nationality.
Maggie Silveira who is also a member of National platform of small scale fish workers demanded repeal of CAA 2019 and de-notification
of NPR.
She demanded amendment of Constitution of India to allow dual citizenship as there are many citizens in Goa who Portugal has given citizenship.
“Portugal has granted citizenship to several Goan natives and several of them are from fishing communities from villages such as Siridao, etc. The enactment of these laws symbolises theft of freedom and ushering in of slavery dedicated towards transforming largest democracy in the world into largest
dictatorship in the world,” Silveira said.
She said that fishing community as well as other sections of society are disturbed due to Indian government’s CAA 2019 and NPR notified in July 2019.
“These laws reflect abnormal quest for transforming natives of India into foreigners through draconian measures such as making gathered data public, requirement of three generations of birth details that are impossible to come by, shifting people into detention centres, application of Foreign Exchange Management Act to local people will require RBI permission to own property in India,” she said.
Silveira pointed out that Goa was not represented when the Constitution was framed as citizenship was extended to Goa only in 1962 through government order.
Bharat Mukti Morch has also demanded to protect local fishermen rights which are under threat due to plans for corporatisation and privatisation of fishing sector.
