MAPUSA
“Those who have taken citizenship of Portugal will not be able to vote here, as the law stands here in India. Unless they amend the Constitution…The government can just not say, chalo, since there s impending election we are considering the issue,” Rane said. The opposition leader was speaking at the sidelines of a function to felicitate meritorious students of SSC and HSSC from Tivim constituency in Colvale. He further disclosed that he owned a Portuguese passport but surrendered it and became an Indian citizen. “I had a Portuguese passport when I went to America. In 1961, I surrendered my passport to Indian embassy,” cause there are no jobs here. Most of them go to England, France and other places in search of jobs. The government has to consider all this…” the Poreim MLA said. He further said that some countries allowed dual citizenship. “India has 1.3 billion people. Who will allow dual citizenship to such a large population? But still Portugal has allowed some Indians which include Goans citizenship in the country,” he said further. He said BJP fooled the people all the time and unfortunately Goans got fooled in the last election and voted them to power. “The BJP has failed to honour the promises they made to the people in their manifesto in the last election. They had said they will give benefit to unemployed youth… around ` 3000 to 3,500 per month. Have they given,” he queried.
