The statement was made after a drug haul on a cruise vessel that had Goa as its destination. The drug bust made news as it involved the son of a Bollywood superstar and hence the statement from minister Manohar Ajgaonkar. What he said was, “We do not want people who take drugs. We are strict. Goa should be clean of drugs and garbage.” How many such statements have been made by ministers in the past? A year ago, in October last year after releasing the Tourism Policy, Ajgaonkar had said, “We don’t want tourists who come to Goa and do drugs or those who cook in public places. We don’t want people to create nuisance here.” This statement had come following some rave parties in Goa, involving domestic as well as foreign tourists, post the unlock when borders were opened and tourists began returning to the State.
Have any of these statements – and they do come at irregular intervals during the year – ever been converted into action against the availability of narcotics in the State? The fact that there continue to be arrests of persons in possession of narcotics – usually small amounts while the major dealers go free – is a clear indication that drugs are still available in the State. Had the government really been strict, then the minister would not have had to repeat what he had said a year ago.
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Is there, then, a plan to stop the drugs from crossing the borders into the State or are we merely going to be fed statements that make good news copy? This statement of the minister made it to news portals across India but does the minister’s office follow up on what he says to confirm whether there is any action taken? If the minister means business, then that should be the natural corollary of the announcement. Let such assertions be followed up by a plan of action to stop the sale of drugs, then we can believe the government is sincere in its efforts, for it is only then that the political class will be taken seriously on attempts to fight the menace of drugs.
Goa has been speaking of fighting drugs for long. One of the aims of the tourism policy that was unveiled last year is to make Goa free of drugs. Such an aim in the policy is an admission that the government is well aware of the narcotics menace and that is has shown the willingness to address it. But again, is it enough to merely have these aims on paper when doing nothing to implement it? Can the Tourism Department reveal what has been done in the last 12 months to make this a reality? It very obviously will not be able to enumerate anything as there has been nothing done in this respect other than some more statements on the subject.
The lull in tourism that has extended to 18 months already due to the pandemic and was the best time to initiate systems under which drug peddling could have been controlled. It was an opportunity that has gone abegging. It will not come again. If the Goa administration is serious about tackling this then it can still do it. Goa’s image as a tourism destination where drugs are available has to change. It is only when this happens that Goa will get a better quality of tourists. The efforts to make the change have been very feeble and hence have shown no results. Drugs in Goa will not be wiped out by mere statements, it requires action from the authorities.
