MARGAO: Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira on Thursday said that drugs are available all over, while Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said it was a slip of tongue from the Minister.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of Independence Day function at Margao, Sequeira said, “Drugs are available everywhere and there is no need to organise the Sunburn festival just for the sake of drugs. It is responsibility of parents to keep drugs away from the youth.”
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“The relationship between Sunburn and drugs is being increasingly linked. Many people have also asked me for passes. Parents are now willing to do anything for their children’s future, so they too must fulfill their duty to keep their children away from drugs,” Sequeira said, urging the public to report any drug dealing to the police.
Clarifying that there is no proposal to hold the Sunburn electronic dance music (EDM) festival event in the jurisdiction of the Loutolim village panchayat, Sequeira stated that a resolution opposing the event was passed at the recently held gram sabha.
However, Sequeira noted that nobody informed him about the resolution and suggested that it was passed out of fear.
“It is my duty to understand the sentiments of the people and convey it to the State government, which I have done. Now, I will adhere to the decision of my government,” he said.
CM terms Sequeira’s remarks as “slip of tongue”
PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant went into firefighting mode over a statement by Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira that drugs are available everywhere.
“I spoke to him (Sequeira). It was a slip of tongue. What he meant was drugs are available all over the world,” Sawant told reporters on the sidelines of launching of ‘CM Helpline’ at GST Bhavan, Altinho-Panjim.
Assuring the people of Goa that his government will crack down on drugs, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in his 78th Independence Day speech, said, “The State government is stressing on increasing the crime detection rate in the State. Government is also trying to make the State drug-free and the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) is working in the same direction.”
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao said that there is a 100 per cent nexus between drug peddlers and the police and the State had become drug and gambling capital.
“Goa Police have become Swayampurna in drugs. We are slowly known as drug capital, murder capital, rape capital and gambling capital. It (drugs) is happening in police stations and there is 100 per cent nexus between police and drug peddlers,” Yuri said on the sidelines of State-level Independence Day programme at Old Secretariat, Panjim.
Demanding that the police be given a free hand to crack down drug peddlers, the Opposition Leader demanded that the Chief Minister should expose those politicians involved in drugs trade in the State.
