Instead of criticising CM’s statements, the politicians, NGOs, and other critics must inquire and put pressure on the chief minister to find out who was the minister’s son who called up Colva Police in support of the rapist.
The minister’s son, who called Goa Police to release the guilty (if correct), needs to be exposed. His father has no right to continue as a minister in the State Cabinet.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
A lot has been said and written about Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant’s statement on the Benaulim rape case “What were the minors doing on the beach in the dead of night?”
While the Goa police have done well in nabbing the culprits within hours of the crime, the chief minister seems to have got himself into a needless controversy.
Scanning through his statement repeatedly, it seems like the Chief Minister may not be entirely wrong when he asked the parents to be responsible for their minor children; he made a mess while making the statement in a manner in which he did. Of course, he never meant to support the rapists.
Agreed, Dr Sawant is right when he says the parents have to share the responsibility for the safety of their minor son/daughter.
During this pandemic, when the government is requesting everyone to stay home, and the Curfew is imposed between 7 pm and 7 am, the question is, what were the minor girls doing in a secluded place like Benaulim beach? Why did parents not stop minors from going out during Curfew?
While the criticism seems of the chief minister is suitable for how he put his words, don’t we parents agree with what he said? Isn’t your child’s safety your responsibility? Should we let the minors, be it, son or daughter, out till 3.30 am?
Consider this: if the Goa Police starts questioning every youth on the beaches every night, do the same critics not blame them for moral policing? The same parents and the political leaders or the NGO’s would start blaming the police for harassment.
So what do the critics exactly want? One policeman after every person in the State?
Yes, the safety of every citizen is the responsibility of the State / Goa Police, but what about parents? Do they not have any responsibility?
Just blaming the government isn’t enough.
To put things straight, this editorial is not to support the chief minister or the BJP but to show the mirror to all critics.
This is election time, so the politicians will make an issue out of everything, but people must not get carried away with just politicians theatrics to garner votes.
Elections will come and go, but our children will always remain our responsibility., no matter how old they grow.
Yes, rape is a heinous crime. The guilty should be hanged to death, but to eradicate this menace and the mentality is the collective responsibility of the society and not alone the government.
Instead of criticising his statements, the politicians, NGOs, and other critics must inquire and put pressure on the chief minister to find out who was the minister’s son who called up Colva Police in support of the rapist.
The minister’s son, who called Goa Police to release the guilty (if correct), needs to be exposed. His father has no right to continue as a minister in the State Cabinet.
The demand must be on instituting inquiry on the alleged phone call and not unnecessarily diverting attention elsewhere.
