It is indeed unprecedented in Goan history since liberation that niz goemkars' passports whose births are registered in Portugal, were granted Portuguese citizenship but their Indian passports have been axed and revoked following an MEA circular received by the passport officers, instructing them to do so.
This, not of their own volition, but because their births were transcribed in the central registry of births in Lisbon, Portugal. Great harm has been done to some, who have become stateless overnight with their Indian citizenship in jeopardy and revoked; neither have they acquired a Portuguese passport as they will have to undergo time-consuming processes for obtaining whichever passport.
It is learnt that the North and South Goa collectors have been given powers to verify and take necessary action with all these cases falling within their jurisdiction. Why did the central government dilly-dally so long when there should have been a ruling in place on dual citizenship which is the only decisive route left.
A Goan MP in Rajya Sabha has made a plea to the MEA to reconsider the Indian passport revoking issue. The Portuguese government does not have any qualms about granting Portuguese citizenship to Goans whose births have been transcribed there with a reciprocal action from India too in this regard.
In fact, numerous Goans benefit by gaining jobs and other benefits at a time when they cannot get well-paying jobs back home where unemployment is rising. Granting dual citizenship is the only viable option left with the central government to ease this problem.
