NCW criticizes Shripad Naik's comment on controlling pub culture

National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Mamta Sharma criticized Union Tourism Minister Shripad Naik over his statement calling for control on pub culture in the country.

"I think it is his narrow mindedness. Now after so many years since Independence we are still advising girls about what they should do," said Sharma.

"As a Tourism minister he should be aware that a lot of Westerners visit Goa and he is talking about banning their culture. If he thinks that by making such statements the public will cheer him, then he is wrong," she said.

She said that the Western culture has spread in the country and it cannot be stopped, and it is not even right to stop it.

"You won't achieve anything by curbing the pub culture," said Sharma.

Shripad Naik had called for controlling the pub culture in the country, saying that it leads to unwanted things.

He was reacting to comments made by Goa's transport minister Ramkrishna Dhavalikar, who had called for banning of mini-skirts.

"I don't know exactly what he (Dhavalikar) said, but I would say that pub culture should be controlled. Whatever unwanted things are happening there (pubs) should not happen," Naik had said.

"If we don't divert from pub culture then it will increase and it is not in the interest of the country. We have to promote other branches of tourism," he added.

Naik was responding to media queries on the sidelines of a tourism related event at Dona Paula.