New Delhi: An MLA from Goa has moved the Delhi High Court challenging the Center`s decision to revoke his Indian citizenship by holding him to be a Portuguese national and seeking directions that no action be taken against him.
The Center and Goa government, however, assured the high court that no coercive action will be taken against the petitioner Caetano R Silva, an MLA of Goa Vikas Party which claims to support the state`s ruling BJP party from outside.
Justice V K Jain thereafter listed the matter on December 2.
Silva has in his plea contended he has never applied for Portuguese citizenship but was held to be a national of that country merely on the basis of a letter received from Indian Embassy there that his birth has allegedly been registered there in 2010.
The MLA has raised the question whether "he can be deemed
to have acquired Portugese citizenship on the basis of the purported registration of his birth on April 9, 2010 under Portugese Organic Law of 2006.
Silva has claimed an inquiry was conducted against him on a complaint by the person who had lost to him in the assembly elections of the state.
He has alleged the inquiry was one-sided and against the basic tenets of principles of natural justice as he has not even been shown the letter received from Indian Embassy in Portugal.
"The communication of the Indian Embassy has never been made available to the petitioner to rebut the same," Silva has said in his plea.
Silva has further contended the birth certificate registered in Portugal in 2010 does not pertain to him as his birth was registered in Goa in 1952.
