Shiv Sena asks Goa government to declare drug trade kingpin's name

The Shiv Sena in Goa on Tuesday urged Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar to come clean on his statement made on Monday, in which he had said that drug trade in Goa is being run by a "godfather" from behind the scenes.

"The statement by Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar about the existence of a godfather for drug trade has shattered the entire Goa, who now want the Minister to reveal the name of the person," state Shiv Sena vice president Rakhi Prabhudessai told reporters in Panaji.

"The Minister should reveal the name... If Azgaonkar feels that naming him in public is not right, then he should at least provide the information to Chief Minister or police department," Prabhudessai said.

The Minister had on Monday said: "There should be strong action against drug trade. If that doesn't happen, the government will fail... There should be no politics on this. Drugs are a serious matter. The Goa CM is very strong on this."

Same day, the Congress party, in a letter to the Director General of Police had urged him to crack down on the drug trade in the state, which the letter said had reached unprecedented proportions.

Goa is one of the top beach tourism destinations in the country, but over the years the state has also become popular as a destination for narco-tourism. Goa attracts more than six million tourists every year, half a million of which are foreign nationals.

--IANS

maya/nir