In a landmark event, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant handed over the first Indian citizenship certificate under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to Joseph Francis Pereira, a 78-year-old Pakistani Christian. The ceremony, which took place on 28 August 2024, marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the controversial legislation.
Pereira, born in 1946 in Paroda village, South Goa, left for Pakistan in 1960 at the age of 14 to pursue his education. He subsequently took up employment there, acquiring Pakistani citizenship in the process. After a career spanning several decades in Bahrain, Pereira returned to India in 2013, settling in Cansaulim, South Goa, with his wife Martha.
The journey to citizenship for Pereira has been a long and complex one. Despite being married to a Goan woman and having Indian parents, he faced numerous hurdles in obtaining Indian citizenship. The couple made multiple attempts over the years, with applications either cancelled due to missing documents or left pending. It wasn't until the implementation of the CAA that Pereira's path to citizenship became clear.
Chief Minister Sawant, speaking at the event, highlighted the significance of the moment. "Though Pereira was married to a Goan woman, he faced hurdles in getting Indian citizenship until the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi amended the Citizenship Act, 1955," Sawant stated. He added that many Goans could potentially benefit from the CAA in a similar manner.
The CAA, enacted in December 2019, aims to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who entered India on or before 31 December 2014. The act covers Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from these countries.
For Pereira, the impact of the CAA has been profound. "I am very grateful to the CAA that was brought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah," he told reporters. "Within one month of applying, the approval has come."
Martha Pereira, Joseph's wife, shared the challenges they faced before the CAA. "From the time we got married, we have been applying, but nothing was coming out of it," she said. "We applied through CAA in June this year. Without CAA, there would have been a lot of hurdles."
For decades, Pereira led a life divided between his work in Bahrain and his family in Goa, visiting only for short periods due to visa restrictions. This arrangement meant missing significant family events and living under constant scrutiny, including regular police verifications.
His journey began when an uncle suggested he go to Karachi for higher education and training, citing limited job prospects in pre-Liberation Goa. He applied for a Portuguese passport and embarked on a week-long trip to Karachi by steamboat. In Pakistan, Pereira studied at a missionary school and later took a technical course in refrigeration and air conditioning.
During his time in Karachi, Pereira experienced significant political changes, including the beginning of dictatorships in 1965 and the 1971 war between India and Pakistan. These events complicated communication with his family, forcing him to route letters through a friend in Bahrain. Eventually, lack of job opportunities led Pereira to seek work in Bahrain.
As per the citizenship certificate, Pereira has been registered as a Citizen of India under the Provisions of Section 6B and fulfilling the conditions under section 5 (1)(c) of the Citizenship Act, 1955, effective from the date of his entry into India. Chief Minister Sawant announced that the Goa Home Department has begun surveying potential applicants for citizenship under the CAA and encouraged eligible individuals to contact the government.
The ceremony was attended by state tourism minister Rohan Khaunte, highlighting the significance of this event for the Goan government. Pereira, visibly moved by the occasion, expressed his joy, saying, "I think you can see it on my face, I am so happy. I am free! Now I can just show them my citizenship certificate, and say, 'Please don't bother me.' God's blessing is upon me. I can now stay with my family peacefully until my death."
