Goa Forward Party (GFP) president and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Thursday urged the Centre to grant dual citizenship option to Goans, arguing that the community is being unfairly penalised for its unique colonial history.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Sardesai said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded European Council President António Costa’s Goan roots on Republic Day, Goans at home face insecurity over their Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status.
“The OCI card is not citizenship, it is a revocable visa,” he said, warning that families are being forced to surrender Indian passports, denied inheritance rights, and threatened with removal from electoral rolls simply for registering births in Portugal.
Sardesai stressed that Portuguese citizenship among Goans is not an act of disloyalty but a historical consequence. He accused the government of weaponising this reality even as it celebrates deeper economic ties with Europe.
“Dual citizens are bridges, not threats,” he asserted, adding that countries across Europe recognise this principle.
Calling dual citizenship “protection, not privilege,” Sardesai said it safeguards Goan families, property, culture, and identity. He demanded that India stop penalising Goans at home while celebrating them abroad, especially as many are compelled to seek livelihoods overseas due to lack of local employment.
