MAPUSA
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal s comments have just triggered anew, the debate over Goa being perceived as a destination for narcotic consumption under successive regimes of the Congress as well as the BJP. And while State BJP President Vinay Tendulkar has demanded an apology from Kejriwal for likening Goa as a destination for drugs, senior BJP minister and Siolim MLA Dayanand Mandrekar now claims that drugs are not only freely available in coastal areas, urban centres and educational institutions in Goa, he also says that the BJP-led coalition government cannot do much about it. “Drugs are available in Panaji and Sattari too. What can we do about it? Is there any control on that? In Mapusa, drugs are available, day and night. Why youth, here students are getting spoiled,” Mandrekar retorted to a query of The Goan. Giving a clean chit to the beach parties, the minister said drugs did not happen at the beach parties nor was it sold on shacks. “There are no drugs available either on the shacks or at beach parties. There are specific spots where the consignment is available. People are aware of the spots. They have their dose at those spots and then join the party on the shack,” Mandrekar said taking pains to clarify that beach parties are clean fun. He also criticized the State police for targeting the shack owners and interrupting beach parties for no reason. “Many times police unnecessarily go and stop these beach parties. After conducting a search, they find no traces of drugs around the place,” he said. “Even if someone has done drugs and then comes and dances at the beach party, what can one do? Can you stop him,” he asked with a palpable angry tone. The minister had recently said that beach parties were not part of Indian culture. Batting for the two electronic dance music festivals (EDMs) – Sunburn and Supersonic – the minister said those were big events and that there was no question of drugs being sold there. “Many central leaders and their children attend these music festivals. Even SP Karthik Kashyap and Priyanka Kashyap were enjoying themselves at the Sunburn this season. What can we do? Who will stop it,” Mandrekar asked. He said for at least 15 days prior and after the Sunburn, hotels and guest houses run full house. For the last two consecutive years, Sunburn has been organized at Anjuna, an area that comes under Mandrekar s constituency. The Congress party said there was a spurt in drug trade in coastal constituencies represented by BJP MLAs and accused these legislators of shielding drug peddlers. “The drug trade has grown tremendously during the period of the BJP-led government especially in the coastal belt,” said Amarnath Panjikar, North Goa District Congress President. “If they want they can eradicate the drug trade in the State as the whole machinery is in their hands but they do not appear to be serious about it. It clearly shows that they have links with the peddlars and are protecting them for profit,” he alleged.
