Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant awarded Indian citizenship to 78-year-old Joseph Francis Pereira, making him the first person in Goa to receive citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Pereira, a Pakistani Christian residing in Cansaulim, South Goa, was granted the citizenship certificate through the CAA, which facilitates citizenship for non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.
Background and Journey
Joseph Francis Pereira originally from Paroda village in South Goa, moved to Pakistan for his studies and later worked there. He held Pakistani citizenship and lived in Karachi before returning to India in 2013. Pereira thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for the CAA, which he said expedited his citizenship process. “I am very grateful to the CAA that was brought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah,” Pereira remarked.
Personal and Family Context
Pereira’s wife, Martha Pereira, also expressed her gratitude, noting that their efforts to secure Indian citizenship had been ongoing since their marriage but had faced numerous obstacles until the CAA was enacted. “Without CAA, there would have been a lot of hurdles,” she said.
Significance of the CAA
The CAA, enacted in December 2019, provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. The Act aims to offer relief to non-Muslim minorities who faced persecution in these countries.
Government and Local Reaction
Chief Minister Sawant highlighted the significance of the CAA in overcoming bureaucratic hurdles that Pereira faced despite being married to an Indian citizen. He emphasized that many more individuals in similar situations across India could benefit from the CAA. The Goa Home Department has initiated a survey to identify eligible individuals for citizenship under the CAA.
Sawant praised the CAA, stating, “It is a matter of pride for us. Many who were in Pakistan or elsewhere were asking for citizenship for almost 60 years. Today, after the law is passed, we are giving citizenship.”
The CAA amendment represents a significant shift in the legal framework governing Indian citizenship, aiming to address long-standing issues faced by persecuted minorities from neighboring countries.
