Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has accused the BJP-led state government of failing to curb the growing drug menace in Goa, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Nasha Mukta Bharat Abhiyan” has failed in the state and that Goa has been transformed into “Nasha Yukt Goa.”
Addressing a press conference, GPCC Media and Communication Department Chairman Amarnath Panjikar claimed that recent reports exposing the widespread narcotics trade have tarnished Goa’s image and reflected the government’s inability to protect the state from organised drug syndicates.
Panjikar alleged that the illegal drug trade in Goa runs into hundreds of crores of rupees annually and has spread across national highways, coastal belts, tourist destinations, educational institutions and residential areas. He claimed that the menace has affected people across all sections of society, including youth, students, women and tourists.
He further alleged that despite Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant holding the Home portfolio, the government has failed to dismantle organised drug networks, with only minor offenders being arrested while the alleged masterminds continue to operate freely.
Criticising the BJP’s “Double Engine Government”, Panjikar alleged that instead of development, Goa has witnessed an increase in drugs, organised crime, land scams and corruption, damaging the state’s reputation as a safe and premier tourism destination.
The Congress leader also expressed concern over increasing drug addiction among students and youth, the alleged availability of narcotics near educational institutions and the growing presence of international drug syndicates, calling it a serious threat to Goa’s social fabric and future.
The GPCC has demanded a judicial inquiry headed by a retired High Court judge into the narcotics network operating in Goa, identification and prosecution of those allegedly providing political patronage to drug mafias, a special anti-drug enforcement drive covering schools, colleges, tourist destinations and coastal areas, the creation of a permanent Special Anti-Narcotics Task Force with public accountability, expanded awareness and rehabilitation programmes, and the publication of a White Paper on the implementation and outcomes of the “Nasha Mukta Bharat Abhiyan” in Goa.
Panjikar asserted that the Congress Party would continue raising the issue, alleging that the government’s failure to tackle the drug menace amounted to a betrayal of Goa’s youth, families and future.
