Goa Congress today demanded that the Goa government put a stop to permitting disreputable events like Sunburn from being held on Goan soil.
The manner in which the controversial Sunburn festival has been forcibly inflicted upon Goa gives a clear and worrying message that rule of law is absent in the state.
The Sunburn festival that has always been marked by unsavory incidents like hospitalizations due to drug overdose and even deaths, kept up to its track record this time also with 2 girls having to be rushed to hospital in ambulances and videos of people brazenly consuming alcohol.
Despite the CMs assurances, on the very first day itself, Sunburn violated the sound rules. The police only closed down one stage and conveniently allowed the show to go on with impunity despite the brazen violation. There is also serious controversy in an alleged scam in distributing bands, in which 5 Sunburn employees have been arrested.
The question being asked by Goans is how does the State benefit from permitting dubious and questionable events like Sunburn on Goan soil? What is the vision for Goa tourism?
For a long time now, Goans have been suffering from the results of being administered by a government that is totally unconcerned with implementation of due processes and maintaining rule of law. Every morning Goans wake up to the dreadful news of dead bodies mysteriously surfacing in different parts of the state, which remain as unsolved murders. Crime has increased exponentially- the latest week seeing 8 robberies in 8 days in Bicholim and other parts of the state.
It is no secret that Goa has gained a reputation as a hub for easy conduct of the drug trade, prostitution and other serious criminal activities, attracting the most undesirable elements from not only all over the country but all over the world.
While Goan shack owners have still not been issued licenses though the peak of the tourism season has come and will soon be gone, Sunburn with all its alleged ill effects has been given red carpet treatment by CM Pramod Sawant’s government.
While drunk tourists in their vehicles are freely permitted to drive recklessly on Goan roads, Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira wants to utilize Goa’s police force to stand outside Goan wedding events with alcometers.
These are the sorrows of being a Goan in BJP ruled Goa. It is high time that Goa and Goans are liberated from the shackles of this anti Goan government that puts its land and resources at the disposal of favoured vested interests. Or Goa and Goans will not survive another tenure of BJP rule.