the goan I network
MARGAO
Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva finally appeared a relieved man after the High Court set aside the order of the Presiding Authority, Home Ministry, which had declared him a Portuguese citizen, even as he took potshots at the Alemao family for working overtime to get him disqualified as member of the Goa Legislative Assembly.
Flanked by his close supporters from Benaulim constituency, Caitu told the media that justice has prevailed and asserted that the people of Benaulim constituency will teach Churchill Alemao a befitting lesson in the 2017 Assembly election.
“I did not fight the legal battle to save my membership of the legislative assembly, but to save the future of young Goans, whose names have been arbitrarily struck off from the electoral rolls on the premise that they are Portuguese citizens,” Caitu said.
Squarely blaming Churchill and his family for putting Goan youth in trouble since the election authorities have deleted thousands of names from the electoral list on grounds they have acquired Portuguese citizenship, Caitu said the people of Goa will show the Alemao family their place in the coming election.
Reiterating that the order passed by the Presiding Authority was politically motivated, the Benaulim MLA said he had told the media then how senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Mani Shankar Aiyar had influenced the Authority by writing a letter to the Union Home Secretary seeking latest status of the case in 2013. “Aiyar’s letters clearly go to show that there was pressure on the Presiding Authority to pass the order against me. The people of Benaulim will show the Alemao family its due place. They have been fooling the people of Benaulim for too long. The family only thinks of themselves,” Caitu said, as he dared the Alemao clan to tell people what good they have done for the state.
Caitu’s lawyer, Adv Bairon Rodrigues, said the Benaulim MLA had insisted before the HC that the Presiding Authority did not pronounce
a reasoned judgement while declaring him a Portuguese citizen.
“The authority’s order was based on a communication from the Indian consul in Portugal. Caitu was never given the chance to cross examine the official Sajjan Kumar. Moreover, Caitu had submitted to HC that he had even travelled to Portugal on a visa issued by the Portuguese government on an Indian passport,” Adv Bairon said.
Wasn’t supposed to celebrate b’day, but now will: Caitu
MARGAO: The High Court order setting aside the order of the Presiding Authority declaring Caitu Silva a Portuguese citizen came as a perfect icing on the cake for the Benaulim MLA.
In fact, the order came on the eve of Caitu’s birthday on Friday, with the Benaulim MLA terming the High Court order a gift on his birthday.
Caitu had issued an advertisement in the local media with an appeal to his supporters and workers from Benaulim constituency not to issue advertisements on his birthday. In fact, he had no plans to celebrate his birthday in a big way. But with the huge relief coming in from the court, Caitu now plans to celebrate his birthday at his residence. “I was indeed tense. Hence, I had decided not to celebrate my birthday on Friday. But, with the court order in my favour, I now plan to celebrate my birthday on Friday,” Caitu said.
