Panaji: In a landmark development, a Christian citizen from Pakistan residing in Goa, Joseph Francis A. Pereira, became the first person in the state to be granted Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The citizenship certificate was handed over to him by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday.
Pereira, who currently lives in Cansaulim, South Goa, expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for enacting the CAA, saying, “CAA was applied, and within one month, the approval came. I am very grateful to the CAA that was brought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.”
Pereira explained that he was the only one to apply for citizenship, as his wife, Martha Pereira, is already an Indian citizen. He recalled his journey, stating, “I went to Pakistan in 1960 and completed my education there. I then worked in Bahrain for 37 years. After retiring in 2013, I came to Goa and have been staying with my family since then. There are many Goan people in Pakistan, but I haven’t visited since 1979. I faced difficulties there, especially during schooling, as job opportunities were limited.”
Martha Pereira shared that they had been trying to obtain Indian citizenship since their marriage, but encountered numerous obstacles. “From the time we got married, we kept applying, but nothing was happening. We applied through the CAA in June this year. Without CAA, there would have been a lot of hurdles,” she said, expressing her relief and gratitude for the outcome.
On the occasion, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant described the moment as a matter of pride for the state. He said, “I thank the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. People who were in Pakistan or elsewhere have been seeking citizenship for almost 60 years. Today, after the CAA was passed, we are able to grant citizenship, and it is a matter of pride for us.”
The Citizenship Amendment Act allows Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Parsis, and Buddhists from neighbouring countries—Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan—who entered India before December 31, 2014, to apply for Indian citizenship after verification.
(Inputs from ANI)
