the goan I network
PANAJI
The Congress, on Monday, demanded the scrapping of the government policy that requires employees and students to produce a “15 year domicile” certificate to prove that they are Goan.
Congress spokesperson and ex-Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes said that
it was “outsiders” who
were taking full advantage
of this policy, as they could easily obtain a domicile certificate if they have been living in Goa for 15 years, but Goans who go outside the state to study or work for some years and then return to Goa have a problem obtaining the same.
“Goans are at a disadvantage because people from outside are coming here and if they live here for 15 years, they are automatically eligible for this certificate,” said Fernandes.
Instead, reservations need to be made for “ethnic Goans” i.e. Goans whose parents and grandparents have been born in Goa, he added.
“In Maharashtra, there is reservation for Marathas. So why can’t we have reservation for Niz Goenkars, descendents of Goans,” questioned Fernandes.
He further said that if someone from another state came to live in Goa, it did not make them Goans, just as if Goans went to live in the UK, it did not make them citizens of the United Kingdom.
He slammed Calangute MLA Michael Lobo for comparing lamanis in Goa to Goans working in UK on a Portuguese passport and called it an “uncalled for” comparison.
“Calangute MLA Michael Lobo is trying to destroy the livelihoods of Goans and then comparing the lamanis in Goa to Goans working in the UK on Portuguese passports,” said the Congress spokesperson.
“Goans have Portuguese passports through a Special Act created by the Portuguese,” Fernandes stressed, adding that this government had “no right to take away employment from
Goans.”
“At this rate, there wouldn’t be niz-Goenkars left in Goa in another 50 years,” he stated.
Fernandes also alleged that many “outsiders” came to Goa at the time of delivery merely to register their children’s births in Goa.
