the goan I network
PANAJI
Senior cabinet minister Manohar alias Babu Ajgaonkar on Monday admitted that the State has failed in tackling the rampant drug abuse problem, saying the blame lay equally on all - law enforcement, political establishment, society and media included.
“Yes we have all failed, myself included,” Ajgaonkar said while also admitting that the overall drug scenario in the State is serious and warrants an extraordinary and unified effort from all concerned to stem the rot.
Ajgaonkar’s statement attains significance because he is the minister for tourism, essentially the raison d’etre for the multi-crore illegal narcotics trade to progressively flourish over decades since the 1960s when Hippie culture first invaded Goa’s shores.
The minister said the drug problem was exponentially larger and more potent than the ‘juggar’ (gambling) social evil which has hit news headlines after last week’s police raid of a matka-gambling den in Morjim netted Rs 60-lakh and communication equipment.
Matka was thriving in Goa in full public view because of tacit support of the police establishment, Azgaonkar admitted but opined that he wasn’t too worried about the fallout of the gambling problem on Goa.
“Drugs is serious. It has the potential to finish our youth,” Ajgaonkar said, adding that it was time politicians and political parties join hands to launch an offensive against it.
“It’s not an issue to play partisan politics. We should side-step party politics. It is not an issue restricted only to the BJP, the Congress, my own MGP or any other political party. We must unite and people too must join this tough fight against drugs,” he said.
Ajgaonkar also came down heavily on Congress MLA, Dayanand Sopte, for insinuating that the gambling and drugs trade was thriving because of backing from cabinet ministers.
“He should name and identify the ministers,” Ajgaonkar said and urged the media to question Sopte on why the drug menace was thriving in his Mandrem constituency. Ajgaonkar’s own Pernem constituency is contiguous with Sopte’s Mandrem Assembly segment and the two are known to be engaged in turf wars in the northernmost taluka.
Taking potshot at Opposition Leader, Chandrakant Kavlekar, the tourism minister said he (Kavlekar) will answer how and why matka gambling is thriving in Goa.
“You should be asking him about it,” Azgaonkar said in obvious reference to the 2017 raid on the Opposition Leader’s personal office from where police recovered a room-full of stationery, including books of unused matka slips.
Incidentally, Sopte also addressed the media earlier on Monday where he reiterated his stinging criticism of the government over the twin problems of drugs and gambling.
“If the government attacks the problem seriously, at least Rs 60 - 70 crores worth of drugs can be seized,” Sopte said, slamming the government for not daring to clamp down on drug suppliers.
Sopte also echoed Ajgaonkar’s pleas that that politicians actively try to fight the drug menace in Goa.
He said the drug dealers need to be targeted and not merely the petty drug peddlars.
When questioned on his own questionable conduct in fighting the drug trade which is rampant in his Mandrem constituency, Sopte sought to argue that he had written to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Superintendent of the Crime Branch after which action was taken, but that it was not enough.
“It’s time for all the 40 MLAs to tackle the issue seriously,” he said and censured the State government for its lack-lustre conduct post the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence haul of Ketamine at Pissurlem.
“It’s as though there are separate laws for the BJP and the Congress,” Sopte said referring to top BJP functionary Vassudev Parab, in whose factory premises the ketamine was manufactured and seized, going unscathed.
