Goa Khabar : The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has launched a blistering attack on the Pramod Sawant-led BJP government following a startling admission by State Minister Ramesh Tawadkar regarding the drug trade in the state. GPCC Media Department Chairman Amarnath Panjikar termed the Minister’s statement a “confession of total governance failure.”
The controversy erupted after Minister Tawadkar reportedly admitted that drugs are easily available along Goa’s coastal belt, remarking that “nobody can say that drugs are not available.”
“Zero Tolerance” or Zero Action?
Panjikar stated that the Minister’s honesty has inadvertently exposed the hollowness of the BJP’s long-standing claims of having a “zero tolerance” policy toward narcotics.
“This is a direct indictment of the Chief Minister’s administration. For years, the BJP has fed the public a narrative of strict enforcement, but when their own senior minister admits the reality is the opposite, it proves that the drug menace is flourishing under government patronage or sheer incompetence,” Panjikar asserted.
Questions Over Enforcement and Intent
The Congress spokesperson questioned how illegal substances continue to move freely despite the presence of multiple state and central enforcement agencies. He raised concerns about whether there is a “deliberate attempt to look the other way” by those in power.
Panjikar highlighted three major concerns:
- Youth at Risk: The unchecked spread of drugs is destroying the future of the local Goan youth.
- Brand Goa: The state’s reputation as a safe, family-friendly premium tourist destination is being severely tarnished.
- Lawlessness: The “double engine government” has failed to maintain law and order, allowing the coastal belt to become a hub for illegal activities.
Congress Demands Accountability
Demanding more than just rhetoric from the state government, the GPCC has called for an immediate overhaul of the state’s anti-drug strategy.
The Congress’s Demand Charter includes:
- Time-Bound Crackdown: An immediate, transparent operation to dismantle drug networks in the coastal areas.
- Officer Accountability: Legal and disciplinary action against police and enforcement officials who have failed to curb the trade in their jurisdictions.
- Enhanced Surveillance: Strengthening coordination between the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) and local intelligence to stop the supply chain.
“Goa cannot afford to be a silent spectator while its social fabric is being torn apart. The people deserve transparency, not just empty promises,” Panjikar concluded.
The BJP government is yet to issue an official response to Panjikar’s demands or clarify the Minister’s controversial remarks.
