Team Herald
PONDA: Public Works Department Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar on Friday demanded that the Portuguese Consulate in the Goa be closed down in order to prevent Goans from opting for dual citizenship as this will reduce the number of Goans.
He was speaking at the Goa Revolution Day function at Kranti Maidan. Dhavalikar said that he has been opposing the Portuguese Consulate in Goa for the last five years, but a lot of people criticised him alleging that he was politicising the issue.
“I still say that the Portuguese Consulate in Goa should be closed to keep back the sons of the soil who are going abroad and accepting foreign citizenship. I have been opposing the consulate to protect the interest of Goans and to preserve Goenkarponn. Around 1.30 lakh persons have accepted dual citizenship which the Indian Constitution does not permit. Everyday around 50 passports are made at Portuguese Consulate in Goa. I demand the closure of the Portuguese Consulate to protect Goenkarponn,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Sammrat Club felicitated freedom fighters on the occasion of Goa Revolution Day at a special function at Panaroma, Ponda. PWD Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar felicitated freedom fighters Pandurang Kuncoliekar, Audumbar Shinkre, Govind Chimulkar, Kamlakant Dhamaskar, Shridhar Verenkar and Gokuldas Davlikar.
, Chandrakant Kenkre, Kalindi Zuvarkar, Narsinha Panchawadkar, Arjun Gaonkar, Damodar Usgaonkar, Gopal Chitare, Vasant Budholkar and Kanti Shet.
