Goa politics fizzes over Parrikar's beer remark

A Congress leader in Goa on Monday accused Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of having an "obsolete mindset" following his sexist remark over girls drinking beer, drawing an angry reaction from the ruling BJP which said he had "lost his mental balance".

The BJP, in a statement, condemned Congress's Goa unit Secretary Girish Chodankar's remark calling it "irresponsible and dirty", after the Congress leader earlier on Monday, called Parrikar's statement "utterly foolish".

"Congress secretary Girish Chodankar appears to have lost his mental balance and BJP advises him to get medical attention as early as possible... BJP condemns the irresponsible and dirty attitude of Girish Chodankar," the statement said.

At an interaction with students last week, Parrikar had said: "I have begun to fear now, because even the girls have started drinking beer. So barrier of that tolerance limit is being crossed... No all of them. I am not referring to this crowd."

The comment had triggered severe criticism from across the country, with women on social media slamming the Goa Chief Minister with a hashtag campaign #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer.

Parrikar was also grilled by the Opposition in Goa for making a sexist statement, with Chodankar alleging that effect of alcohol was gender-neutral and did not impact girls alone.

"I do not wish to comment on the utter foolish statement on girls drinking beer, as the IITian (Parrikar is an IIT-Mumbai alumnus) should know that any effects of alcohol are gender neutral and no laws can ban only girls drinking beer. Such statements only flow from obsolete traditional mind-set," Chodankar said.

--IANS

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