PANJIM: A day after his Public Works Department Minister hogged the national limelight over his controversial remarks, calling for a ban on pubs and bikinis, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, on Wednesday, ruled out any possibility of banning either saying, “We see no reason in changing anything, as everything is running very smoothly in Goa”. However, the government is mulling the idea of prohibiting liquor drinking on the shores.
Reacting to media on the issue, Parrikar sought to clarify that PWD Minister Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavlikar’s comments were “his personal views and nothing to do with government views or policy”.
Parrikar chose to take a ‘culture as evolving’ rather than ‘pure fixed culture’ view saying, “Goa government does not favour banning bikinis on the beaches. About bikinis we don’t object at all. But it should not amount to indecency, because as the time passes, the dress code also changes. I don’t think there is any problem in Goa. In the current scenario, unless it affects the public or creates problems there is no reason to interfere and ban bikinis.”
The chief minister said that there is no reason to change what is happening on the beaches except for a ban on consumption of alcohol in public places, including beaches as it breeds lawlessness, a view expressed by Herald earlier. “I see no reason in changing anything because everything is running smoothly. But considering the law and order situation, late (night) drinking and drinking in public places including beaches would not be allowed by the government.”
Parrikar, who is also the state home minister, said that directions have been issued to the Excise Department to form different squads and depute them along beach belts to take action. He said that drinking in public places always results in law and order problems.
“There will be restriction on drinking in public places because it creates law and order problems. You cannot drink on the beaches. We will take action against those violating this. If you want to drink, do it in restaurants or pubs. You can’t drink on the road. Sometimes fights break out on the road after drinking and we can’t take action against anyone. But if the fight is in the bar, we can suspend the bar licence,” he said.
But the chief minister went on to defend Dhavlikar saying he does not think what his minister has said is something wrong. “What is his statement? I don’t know. Different media have quoted him differently. What he told me about his statement, there is nothing big (sic) about it. In Goa, 17 newspapers have quoted him differently. We have not sought any clarification from him. It is his individual viewpoint,” Parrikar said, adding “the statement was made by PWD minister and not by the chief minister or tourism minister.”
Dhavalikar had stirred a major national controversy after he demanded a ban on pub culture and bikinis on beaches and objected to increase in foreign tourists’ arrival. He has said that girls wearing bikini results in molestation cases. “Pub culture is not Indian…..We Goans should oppose this culture as no parents, brothers or man would like to see their daughters, sister dance in pubs obscenely dressed,” he elaborated, bringing in national condemnation for his remarks which were interpreted as sexist, misogynistic and an attempt at cultural policing.
