MARGAO
The Goans for Goa (GFG) has on Monday asserted that great injustice has been done to the people of Goa, whose passports have been revoked, due to the MEA internal circular of November 30, 2022 which was unleashed on the people, without any thought or proper application of mind, thus depriving the revoked passport holders from obtaining the OCI status.
GFG stated that the passport officer is clearly at fault for not issuing the “ surrender certificate”, which the FRRO has made it mandatory only for former Indian citizens.
“As per the Citizenship Act, there is no such mention of the requirement of a “ surrender certificate” , to obtain an OCI card. As per section 7 (A) of the citizens Act 1955, lays down that for grant of an OCI, which can be issued to any one who is a child, or a grand child , or a great grand child , of such a citizen of Indian Origin. There fore to obtain an OCI status a person of Indian Origin must have a valid foreign passport, and proof of Indian decent or origin”, he said.
He added: “The surrender certificate is an unnecessary document that the FRRO (MHA ) demands of former Indian citizens who have surrendered their Indian passports, and does not demand the same from people who are citizens of another country”.
Kennedy said this is clearly evident from the recent judgment of the Allahabad High Court order, directing the FRRO to issue an OCI status to an American citizen, whose great grand parents had migrated from India to Guyana in 1882.
After almost 146 years after her great grand father migrated from India, she obtained an OCI status, just by having a foreign ( American) passport, and proving her descent/origin by an Apostillebirth certificate.So where is the requirement of a surrender certificate in this case ?
GFG further demanded to know why a separate rule is applied for Goans/Indians, thus depriving them of OCI status.
“If an OCI status can be given to individuals who fled from the country 146 years ago, based on proving her descent/ origin, then why is the OCI status denied to Goans, who not only have a valid Portuguese Passport, and were born in India, residing in India, and can easily prove their Indian origin? Even if their passport is revoked, there is no reason why they should be denied the OCI status.This is totally discriminatory in nature and bad in law , and hence the circular must be withdrawn immediately, and revocked passport holders should be given immediate relief”, he demanded.
