19 years on, Pakistan-born man Crasto gets Indian citizenship: Goa CM hands over certificate

Panaji, Aug 25 (PTI) For Pakistan-born man Brenden Valentine Crasto, the 19-year-old wait to get Indian citizenship ended on Monday when Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant handed over the nationality certificate to him, making him the third person in the state to get the status under CAA.

Crasto, who traces his roots to the coastal state, is currently residing in Anjuna in North Goa after marrying an Indian national.

Sawant handed over the citizenship certificate to Crasto, who was present along with his entire family for the function held at Mantralaya (state secretariat) in Porvorim.

The 44-year-old was granted citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which entitles Indian nationality to persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian communities of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.

Talking to reporters after the function, the chief minister said Goa authorities had received application from Pakistan-born Crasto seeking Indian citizenship under the CAA.

"Brenden got married to an Indian citizen, Merilyn Fernandes, in 2014 and is residing in India continuously since December 2, 2006," he said.

Sawant noted Crasto fulfils all conditions under the Citizenship Act, 1955, and the amended legislation of 2019 to obtain Indian nationality.

He becomes the third individual in Goa to be granted citizenship under the CAA, whose rules were notified in March 2024 by the Union home ministry, paving the way for its implementation five years after its enactment.

In August, 2024, Pakistan-born Joseph Francis Pereira (78) became the first person in Goa to get Indian citizenship under the Act. PTI RPS RSY