PANAJI
Stating that his government is against dual citizenship, Goa’s Rajya Sabha MP and BJP State President Sadanand Tanavade on Sunday said that the Centre has been urged to reconsider the decision of passport revocation of Goans following the registration of their birth in Portugal.
Addressing a press conference Tanavade said that mere registration of birth in Portugal does not mean that the person has obtained Portuguese citizenship but it is just a start of process in that direction.
“Our government is completely against dual citizenship. We are not going to accept it. One person cannot have dual citizenship but this is not that issue,” he explained.
Tanavade, who had raised the issue in the Parliament during the recently concluded winter session, said that revoking Indian passports solely based on birth registration in Portugal is unwarranted and that the same can be done once their Portuguese citizenship is established.
The MP said that he will get in touch with the concerned authorities to get details; if possible, of the Goan citizens who have registered their birth in Portugal.
The Ministry of External Affairs through a circular dated November 30, 2022, clearly stated that those persons holding foreign nationality and attempting to renew their Indian passport will face revocation (of their passports) under Section 10 (3) (b) of the Passport Act of 1967.
Tanavade reiterated that he has urged the Centre to allow the renewal of Indian passports of these people until they acquire the official citizenship document from the Portuguese government. “Revocation of passports means you are making them non-existing. They are neither here nor there. This should not happen,” he said.
