New law not to impact Goans with Portuguese passport: Official

The amended Citizenship Act will not impact the rights of Goans holding Portuguese passport, the State NRI Commission clarified on Friday.

The clarification came after the opposition Congress sought to know the fate of Goans holding Portuguese passport following Parliament's approval to the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (CAB). President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday gave his assent to the bill, turning it into an Act.

On Thursday, state Congress spokesman Trajano D'Mello had criticised the provisions of the Act and said Christian ministers in the BJP government in Goa, a former Portuguese colony, should spell out their stand on the controversial legislation.

NRI commissioner Narendra Sawaikar asked the Congress to stop playing "divisive politics" on the issue.

"How and why will CAB bill divide India? It will not affect the rights of Goan passport holders before or after the CAB Bill," Sawaikar tweeted reacting to Congress statements.

"@INCIndia & @GoaCongress should stop playing divisive politics. India had it enough. Such tricks will not work," he said on Twitter.

D'Mello hadsaid "So many Goans opted for Portuguese passport because the government (here) has failed to provide them employment. The only purpose to get a Portuguese passport was to survive."