Roland is asking about the harm done to the Goans, not Africans.
While I am not an expert in Constitutional Law, this is my understanding:
Following the trend initiated by Pombal and by Dom Pedro IV, the 1911 Constitution envisioned progressive decentralization of the administration of the overseas territories with the goal of they eventually becoming self-governing entities. The Acto Colonial and the 1933 Constitution reversed that trend and redefined those territories as “Império Colonial Português”. So the Goans, all the sudden, were redefined as assimilated (Lusified) colonial subjects. Which means that the people of Goa would never become a self-governing entity. In essence, it established two classes of citizens. This legislation could be invoked to justify all sorts of discriminatory policies that had been abolished since the days of Pombal. For example, individuals who wanted to join the military had to have both parents born in Portugal. The sons of a Portuguese European, Ruy da Cunha Menezes, a distinguished member of the Portuguese military, could not join the armed forces because his wife was Brazilian. The family moved to Brazil where they distinguished themselves in the Brazilian armed forces.
This is why I cannot understand how those individuals who believe that Goa was a colony (whatever “colony” means) can logically also condemn the Acto Colonial. It seems to me they should have applauded it instead of condemning it. Unless, of course, they believe that only the Goans can say that Goa was a colony, and not Europeans like Dr. Oliveira Salazar.
Menezes Bragança condemned the Acto Colonial because he believed that Goa was an integral part of the Portuguese Nation and in many ways different from the rest of India, and that the Goans were equal to those born in Minho or Algarve, and that they should have the right to decide on their future. In short, he believed in the doctrine of the 1911 Constitution.
I already discussed this in greater detail during my conversation with Dr. Cristiana Bastos.
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