Goans have not lost their love for Goa just because they have acquired Portuguese citizenship

Until five years back, Goans had been finding an easy way out for better quality of life and that was gate-crashing into England via Portugal. The Portuguese have been kind enough to allow Goans into its country as a goodwill gesture for making it their colony four centuries back.

There was no issue at all even though lakhs of Goans had opted for Portuguese passport with different perception. The main being employment and better quality of life. Of course there was a hitch there that nobody realised. And that is after acquiring Portuguese passport, one could not work for the Goan government as the person becomes a foreigner in his own motherland.

Individuals with government employment in Goa undertook this exercise of opting for Portuguese citizenship while working for the government here, to facilitate their children to acquire the Portuguese passport and migrate to Europe for job opportunities were meagre here and also very less paying for the type of talent and educational qualification our youth have achieved.

Everything was fine till the time politicians muddled the issue for their own benefit. The very first instance was when defeated Benaulim candidate Valanka Alemao daughter of Churchill Alemao raked up Caitu D’silva’s nationality as Portuguese citizens simply because he won the 2012 Assembly elections against her. In turn Caitu unearthed Churchill Alemao’s nationality. Sadly both the cases are gathering dust in the courts of Law in Goa.

To add fuel to fire, Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco who had an axe to grind with Superintendent of Police Allan D’sa produced documents indicating that the latter was a foreigner working as a high ranking police officer in Goa.

Mickky had an axe to grind against D’sa as he refused to dance to the Legislators tune and had put Nuvem MLA’s pet police inspector Edwin Colaco on a tight leash.

As SP D’sa was battling the controversy, one RTI activists produced documents showing that PI Edwin Colaco had also registered his birth in Portugal. With this the can of worms finally spilled out. Large number of government servants in all its departments had registered their birth in Portugal. Some to settle in Portugal or England after superannuation or to facilitate their children to secure gainful employment in these countries.

Union government realized it and maintained a status quo. However it was upon the Judiciary to interpret and decide, whether mere registering birth or thereafter marriage amounted to being a Portuguese citizen. The Indian judiciary was found wanting in this matter.

Very soon Caitu D’silva who was elected as Benaulim MLA will complete his term of five years but the judiciary is still saddled with the matter. After his term is over Valanka Alemao’s case against Caitu becomes infractuous as she had demanded that he be disqualified for obtaining ‘Bilhete de Indentidade’ and ‘Cartao de Cidadao’.

It will be a different issue altogether if he tries to contest election again as all those who have registered their birth and marriage in Portugal will have to show their Indian citizenship and not origin of birth.

It was the sole responsibility of the Judiciary to decide whether just obtaining ‘Bilhete de Indentidade’ and ‘Cartao de Cidadao’, amounts to being a foreigner in his country of birth or origin. This is still being debated and the answer to this complex issue still fluttering in the wilderness.

Then came along Remo Fernandes, Goa’s prized political singer besides tiartists and 2012 Assembly Election mascot. Till this very year, Remo was kept on high pedestal by Goans of every hue. Fearless social activists, corruption crusader and one man army against the government advocate Aires Rodrigues, who sought out International pop star in his crosshair for allegedly abusing and threatening a minor girl over whom his (Remo’s) son had driven his car. As the debate over Remo’s visiting the girl in Goa Medical College was raging, adv. Aires dropped a bomb that stunned most Goans. He claimed that Remo Fernandes had attained Portuguese citizenship and that he was no longer a Goan.

From here on the war became murkier with one advocate from Margao Rajeev Gomes representing Remo claimed that his learned colleague Aires Rodrigues was also a Portuguese citizen and had also stayed in Portuguese way back in 1987 and that his birth and marriage was also registered in Portugal. An FIR was lodged against Aires by controversial Colva panch member Calvert Gonsalves who is also being represented by adv. Gomes. Allegedly this duo adv. Rajeev and Calvert have even lodged a complaint with the Bar Council of Maharashtra to suspend Aires license to practice Law in Goa.

Not a person to take things lying down, adv. Aires posted documents to indicate that adv. Rajeev Gomes had his birth also registered in Portugal in 2010 along with that of his son. Subsequently, an FIR under Citizenship Act was also registered against Rajeev

This was the pits when two advocates get personal and point fingers at each other over Portuguese citizenship. One could argue that layman working in government service did not realize the implication of obtaining Portuguese passport but can the advocates be excused for being ignorant the law or were they transgressing, contravening or flaunting the Law to continue practicing in Goa.

This ugly duel brought to the fore some sought of stigma attached to procuring or obtaining Portuguese passport. If an individual ups his ante against the government or local self bodies or that matter against any wrong-doing, immediately his citizenship is scrutinized to find out whether he has attained Portuguese nationality. If so the protesting Goans is targeted and branded as being a foreigner is his own land.

Acquiring, procuring and obtaining Portuguese citizenship by Goans is merely a matter of compulsion for better quality of life and job opportunities but it does not mean that all the Goan who have opted for Portugal citizenship have lost their love for Goa. Deep in the recesses of heart they still love Goa but circumstances have forced them to change their nationality.