TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: The South Goa Zilla Panchayat on Friday demanded a solution to the Portuguese citizenship issue, demanding government’s intervention to protect the interest of thousands Goans facing deletion of their names from the electoral roll.
Members raised apprehensions that there may not be voters left to cast their vote in minority dominated areas if the government fails to bring about a solution to the issue.
Initiating a discussion on the issue, ZP member Daya Pagi accused the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for double speak on the issue, as part of the strategy to get the names of thousands of voters from the minority community off from the electoral roll. He said the BJP has a hidden agenda to finish the minority community and demanded to know why names of voters from the minority community are being deleted by the government from the roll. “Doubts are raised whether any member of the minority community will be left behind in the state to cast their votes if there’s no solution to the issue. People should be giving justice”, he said, while blaming the BJP and the RSS for their hidden agenda on the issue.
ZP Vice-Chairperson Naik took strong exception to Pagi’s statement that the BJP is out to finish the minority community. ZP member Pradeep Desai also underlined the need to evolve a solution without indulging in politics.
Velim ZP member Anthony Rodrigues said the OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) status will not help Goans with Portuguese citizenship, while demanding the protection of voting rights of people from the minority community.
In her address, ZP Chairperson Nelly Rodrigues reminded the government that Goans are acquiring Portuguese citizenship only for the purpose of employment purpose. “My son has gone to the USA for employment because there are no jobs available for computer engineers and professionals”, she said.
The ZPlso adopted a resolution condemning the attack on San Andre MLA Vishnu Surya Wagh and demanded the arrest of the culprits.
