Panaji: Joseph Francis A Pereira, a Pakistani Christian senior citizen living in Goa, has become the first Goan to be granted Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant handed him the citizenship certificate today amid a huge media presence.
Joseph, who lives in Cansaulim expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for enacting the CAA, stating this move made his citizenship possible. He claimed it took just one month after applying under the CAA, that he was granted the citizenship.
Joseph was the only applicant in his family, as his wife Martha Pereira is already an Indian citizen. Speaking to reporters thereafter, he shared that he moved to Pakistan in 1960 for education and later worked in Bahrain for 37 years. After retiring in 2013, he returned to Goa to live with his family.
Although Joseph acknowledged that many Goans live in Pakistan, he hasn't visited the country since 1979. He recalled that life was challenging during his schooling in Pakistan due to a lack of job opportunities.
Martha Pereira stated that they had been trying to get Joseph's citizenship since their marriage, but it had been a long and difficult process. She expressed pride in finally receiving citizenship, thanks to the new law.
The Citizenship Amendment Act allows Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Parsis, and Buddhists from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014, to apply for citizenship after proper verification.
