‘Told Rahul Constitution was forced on us’: In Goa, Congress candidate’s remark gives ammo to CM

‘Told Rahul Constitution was forced on us’: In Goa, Congress candidate’s remark gives ammo to CM

Congress candidate from South Goa Captain Viriato Fernandes on Monday said that the Indian Constitution was “forced” upon Goans after the coastal state was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961, drawing criticism from Goa CM Pramod Sawant.

Addressing a corner meeting in South Goa, Fernandes — a retired Naval officer and Kargil war veteran — recalled a conversation he had on the issue of ‘dual citizenship’ with the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

Fernandes said on March 10, 2019, he met Rahul at a hotel near Panaji and told him that “when Goa was liberated in 1961, the Indian Constitution was forced upon us”. At the time Fernandes was part of an NGO — ‘Goencho Awaaz’ — that had been raising the demand for dual citizenship for Goans.

“We had raised 12 demands before him [Rahul] and one of them concerned dual citizenship. He said the demand would not be considered if it is not constitutional. I explained to him that the Indian Constitution was implemented on January 26, 1950. [So], when Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961, you [Central government] forced the Constitution upon us. We were not included in it,” said Fernandes.

“When the Indian Constitution was implemented, Goa was not part of India. There was no provision for Goans,” he said.

Fernandes’s comments drew sharp criticism from Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, who said that the Congress leader had “undermined” the Constitution with his remarks.

In a post on X, Sawant said, “I am appalled by the comments from Congress’s South Goa candidate claiming the Indian Constitution was forcefully imposed upon Goans. Our freedom fighters believed wholeheartedly that Goa is an inseparable part of India.”

“Congress delayed Goa’s liberation by 14 years. Now, their candidate dares to undermine the Indian Constitution? Congress must stop this reckless ‘Bharat todo’ politics immediately. Congress is a threat to our democracy,” Sawant added.

Also Read | Why Goans who took Portuguese nationality are facing issues in surrendering their Indian passport

Fernandes is pitted against BJP’s Pallavi Dempo, who is the first woman candidate to contest a parliamentary election for the BJP in Goa.

Meanwhile, Fernandes posted on X, tagging Sawant, saying: “Dear @GoaCM , Don’t try to twist & turn selective words from my speech to get political mileage & spread venom. I am ready for an open Debate on what I spoke…”

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