TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: To ensure that Goans holding Portuguese citizenship are safeguarded and their interests protected the Congress has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to implement Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) special category which will allow them to continue as Indian citizens.
Congress spokesman Jitendra Deshprabhu at a press briefing on Saturday said the GPCC chief John Fernandes had taken the issue up and also said that the Centre has assured this relief. “This matter needs careful examination. GPCC Chief in his capacity as ex-Rajya Sabha MP has approached the Centre to implement OCI. The MHA has assured that lakhs of people who are holding Portuguese citizenship will be brought under this category,” he said.
The implementation would however come with a rider that those protected under OCI will not be entitled to voting rights or avail government benefits. They will nonetheless be allowed to stay in the country. The party is also contemplating to write to its high command for pursuing the matter with the Centre.
