Team Herald
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that the State government is waiting for the central government’s decision on the dual citizenship issue affecting a section of the people whose births are registered in Portugal as the Indian Constitution does not permit dual citizenship.
Parsekar said that due to this citizenship issue, two MLAs were facing disqualification and some government servants had also been impacted. “I feel on priority this matter should be taken forward,” he said.
He stated there are no directions to the State government from the Union Home ministry. Raising the issue during question hour, BJP MLA Vishnu Wagh had asked whether any decision had been taken by the Union Home ministry regarding dual citizenship.
Wagh also asked whether agencies that act as agents to issue Portuguese passports are registered with the Goa government. The Chief Minister said those agencies are not registered with the government.
Leader of the Opposition Pratapsingh Rane demanded an investigation on where these people go and what work they get after obtaining Portuguese passports.
BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral brought to the notice of the House that even government servants are leaving jobs and going abroad with Portuguese passports. Agreeing with Cabral, the chief minister said that some nurses from the Health department had left their job and gone abroad after obtaining Portuguese passports.
The CM said that all the people are not
looking only at employment but some of them
have psychological
aspirations.
