Team Herald
MAPUSA: The menace of Lamanis is back and this time a video has gone viral on social media of these people harassing the tourists at Candolim, which has angered the locals, who feel are spoiling Goa’s image.
The people of Goa have been persistently opposing the influx of Lamanis and with the passage of time the matter has turned out to be serious. Many claim that they are a threat to Goan identity, land and business.
Today, they are no more just selling imitation jewelleries and shawls along the beaches, collecting plastic and other scrap, but are involved in illegalities. Some of them are even seen creating a nuisance on the beaches and disturbing the visiting tourists. Many more are involved in criminal activities.
No doubt, they must be respected as community but, Goans are of the opinion that they should not be allowed to settle in the State.
Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) president Savio Messias informed Herald that hawkers and Lamanis are a nuisance to the tourists.
“It is very disappointing that the Tourist Police are unable to control this menace. It is one of the points we have raised in our white paper but, unfortunately, the Tourism Minister has not bothered to look into it,” Messias lamented.
However, the Revolutionary Goans claims that most Lamanis and other nomadic tribes are involved in illegal activities along the coastal belt and harassing the tourists.
“We are slowly turning out to be strangers in our own land”, said Revolutionary Goans founder Manoj Parab and appealed to Niz Goenkars to unite against migrant menace before it is too late.
“We recently heard a Banjara Samaj leader in Goa saying that Lamanis are boosting the economy of Goa but, today if you see they are involved in all types of illegal activities. They are involved in drugs and prostitution along the coastal belt. They are bringing a bad name to Goa and its identity with their behaviour towards the tourists. They start harassing the tourists once they step out of their vehicle. They offer massage, girls and other illicit stuff. Tourist cannot even walk around freely sometime on the beaches,” alleged Parab.
“Open massage is the biggest menace carried out especially at Baga, Morjim and few other beaches in Goa. The sad part is that our government is shielding them and not taking any action just to safeguard their vote bank. Hence, I appeal to the leader of the Goa Banjara community to put a stop to this menace on the beaches and then speak about the economy and other big things,” he added.
