Questions over legality of Remo's National awards

Nationality issue comes to haunt pop singer

PANAJI

A simple case of rash and negligent driving filed against the son of pop singer Remo Fernandes has threatened to snowball into a major controversy for the award winning musician with questions now being raised about the legality of the Padma Shri award he received in 2007 as well as his participation in politics in late 2013 following the AAP’s success in Delhi.

According to information available, Remo’s birth was registered in Lisbon in 1993, but was issued a Portuguese passport only in 2011.

While activist Aires Rodrigues alleges that one becomes a Portuguese national no sooner one’s birth is registered in Portugal, and hence Remo was a Portuguese national since then, another line of argument suggests that one becomes a Portuguese national only when one willingly renounces their Indian citizenship through accepting a Portuguese passport or a Bilhete de Identidade (Identity Card).

“Documents reveal that Remo Fernandes acquired Portuguese citizenship on May 21, 1993,” Rodrigues said pointing to the assento de nascimento issued in Remo’s name.

Remo received the Padma Shri in 2007 as well as the Karmaveer Puraskar award.

While his nationality at the time of receiving the Padma Shri, is debatable, his being appointed as a brand ambassador for the Election Commission of India to promote ethical voting and urging people to come out and vote as well as joining the Aam Aadmi Party in December 2013 well after he was issued a Portuguese passport is not.

Remo was roped in ahead of the Assembly elections in Goa to help draw youth to vote with his posters and banners -- erected across the state -- appealing people to come out in large numbers and vote.

Following AAP’s surprise showing at the Delhi assembly elections in December 2013, Remo along with noted doctor Oscar Rebello joined the party making them two popular figures to join the upstart party.

While Remo was issued a Portuguese passport in 2011, he surrendered his Indian Passport at the Indian Embassy in Lisbon in 2014 completing his nationality migration process.

Fernandes has not denied that he is a Portuguese national but in a statement to a local news website Remo has said that there’s nothing wrong in being a Portuguese national.

“There is nothing shameful or embarrassing about opting for another nationality”, says Remo.

“Yes, I have taken Portuguese nationality after duly surrendering my Indian nationality, but I have an OCI Card, which makes me an Overseas Citizen of India. This is something I have never hidden, so the claim that this is 'discovered' by the Police is a pathetic misleader”, said Remo to the news website goanews.com.