Mumbai: By becoming an Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cardholder, Goans with dual citizenship — that of both India and Portugal — can overcome the Indian government’s recent directive to choose between the two countries, says a Goan businessman in the travel industry.

Since the Constitution of India does not allow dual citizenship, “it is advisable that those Goans who have registered themselves to become Portuguese nationals should immediately apply for an OCI status, which is like a life-long visa in India,” said the businessman, speaking to Gulf News on phone from Margao. He did not want to be named. “As an OCI cardholder, you can enjoy the freedom to live and work as other Indians, even own properties, but as a foreign national he/she cannot vote in elections or enjoy government benefits.” This way, they can regulate their stay in India, he added.

He wondered why many Goans are taking a gamble by holding on to the citizenship of both countries when it is clear that India does not allow it.

Two days ago, news reports indicated that a high-level central panel had recommended action against those Goans who had registered their names in Portugal’s Central Registry — they may now lose Indian citizenship. As per Portuguese law, those who register their names in the registry automatically become Portuguese nationals and a citizen of European nations as Portugal is a member of the European Union.

Speaking to this paper on the issue, Jitendra Deshprabhu, Congress spokesperson and former MLA of Goa Assembly, added, “the OCI is a great opportunity for those Goans who have their origins in Goa. But the fact that many Goans are making a beeline to register themselves at the Portuguese consulate indicates how wary they are of their life in Goa. The BJP should introspect on their policy of intolerance, particularly against those communities who are outside the Hindu faith.” He also claimed that there was a flight of money from the state due to such policies.

To reinforce his statement, an editorial in the Herald, said: “The extremely contentious and complicated issue centring around the status of Goans registering their births in Portugal should be approached with the single-minded objective of settling on a final, clear, unequivocal stand after hearing all sides.

“However, there is an imminent danger of the complex issue being used by the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] to delete en masse from the electoral rolls, those who have registered their births as a future insurance, but not picked up their citizenship cards. Since close to 90 per cent of those who have done so are Catholics, from south Goa, it doesn’t need a political pundit to figure why the BJP would love to have them off the rolls. Why, even the Chief Minister, no less, said last week that sections of the minorities have moved away from BJP.”

Apart from this reasoning, the Centre, it appears, wants to start the exercise of identification of such cases at the earliest since the coastal state will go to polls early next year.

Authorities have said at least 200,000 Goans have dual citizenship, but many Goans wonder if this number is correct since the Portuguese authorities in the state have not divulged how many Goans have availed of that country’s citizenship. It is also alleged that many legislators and MPs from Goa have dual citizenship, though this cannot be confirmed.

The race for a Portuguese passport is because of the power it holds — it opens up a wealth of job and business opportunities for Goans in Europe, the UK and US.

The first of the European invaders who came into India were the Portuguese and they were the last to leave from Goa, which they ruled for 400 years until the Indian Army took over in 1961. Under Portuguese law, those born in their colonies, including Daman and Diu near Gujarat, and their descendants are eligible for Portuguese passports.