Don’t sensationalise Goa drug trade: CM

PANAJI: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar Tuesday wrote to state MLAs asking them to stay away from unwarranted sensationalism related to drug trade in Goa.

“It has been observed that some of the MLAs are making public statements regarding availability of drugs and nexus between the drug peddlers and some police officials,” Parrikar said in a note addressed to them.

He said action will be taken against people running the mafia whom the legislators have named. “(But) given the sensitive nature of the issue and firm resolution of the state government to make Goa a drug-free state, it is requested that such information about drugs or related activities be brought to the notice of the undersigned, so as to jointly fight this menace,” the chief minister added.

The note comes a week after fisheries minister Vinod Palienkar said he was being threatened by the drug mafia following his remark to ban rave parties.

“Such public statements lead to dampening of morale of the police force, unwarranted sensationalism, dent in the image of the state and does not help us resolve the issue as criminals are made alert by such statements,” Parrikar said.

He, however, assured MLAs of prompt and strict action if they passed on information about drug related activities to him.

Meanwhile, state congress president Shantaram Naik slammed the chief minister’s note as “an attempt at censorship on the legislators”. “We have high regards for the Goa police and agree that unwarranted statements should not be made but this curb comes as a restraint on the freedom of speech of the MLAs,” said Naik.

He added that Parrikar had criticised the government and the police force in abundance during the Congress rule.