Goa to push for solution on dual citizenship: Parsekar

Porvorim: The Union home affairs ministry is yet to decide on the issue of dual citizenship for Goans born during the pre-liberation era and their descendents. As of now, dual citizenship is not allowed as per the constitution of India, chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar said at the ongoing assembly session on Tuesday. Parsekar said that he will ask the state home department to take up the matter with central government officials and push to resolve the issue at the earliest.
Parsekar said that one meeting was held with central government officials over the issue and said that he is sympathetic towards the problems faced by many Goans in the absence of a dual citizenship regulation, ‘especially members of the Catholic community.’
St Andre MLA Vishnu Surya Wagh said that the cases of those seeking Portuguese citizenship have gone up hugely in the last few years and a study needs to be conducted by the state NRI affairs department to know for what reasons they are leaving the country and if they can be provided jobs of similar nature in Goa instead.
“These people who opt for the Portuguese citizenship have a different mentality altogether. People need to change their mentality,” said Parsekar, responding to Wagh.
Other members of the house also while discussing the issue said that it is difficult to understand the mindset of those opting for Portuguese citizenship as they are spread across various sectors.
“I know an employee of the electricity department who left his government job to work in the UK. I do not understand how much more salary he hopes to earn there,” said Nilesh Cabral.
Opposition leader Pratapsingh Rane, at first, said that Goans were leaving because they were not getting well-paying jobs in Goa, but later said that he had come across some Goans in Europe doing menial jobs like cleaning washrooms there.
Wagh said that it also needs to be seen if those opting for Portuguese citizenship are indeed living in Portugal or using it as a ticket to settle elsewhere in Europe.