Drugs responsible for growing rapes in Goa: Cong MLA

A senior Congress MLA today said that sale and consumption of drugs was responsible for rising incidents of rapes in Goa.

"You cannot keep on complaining that rapes are increasing in Goa when you don't have control over the sale of drugs. Drugs are the reason for growing incidents of rapes in Goa," said Congress MLA Antonio Fernandes.

The St. Cruz legislator from North Goa was speaking to reporters after attending a meeting of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP).

Fernandes' comments came a day after state Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar talked about the existence of a "godfather" for illegal drug trade in the coastal state.

Fernandes said the state government is aware about the persons involved in the narcotics trade.

"The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recently busted an international drug racket by raiding a shed owned by a BJP functionary in Pissurlem industrial estate in North Goa and seizing huge quantity of ketamine, which is called as a rape drug," he said while questionning the "silence" of the BJP-led state government on the DRI action.

Fernandes said the Congress would raise the Ketamine seizure issue on the floor of the House during upcoming monsoon session of the legislative assembly beginning August 3.

"We will also move a calling attention motion on the issue. We want the state government to respond," he said.