This year the feast of Saint Francis Xavier at Old Goa is being held as a dry day for the first time. This malicious order of the Manohar Parrikar government prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcohol within the limits of the Old Goa Panchayat is very high handed and illogical. On these festive days the people are being asked to have a drink in the outskirts of Old Goa at Corlim, Carambolim or Ribandar. The BJP’s hidden agenda is slowly but surely surfacing silently and that too, commencing with such an important religious festival.
For the next year, will the traditional sale of sausage bread and sorpatel be also banned by these communal fanatics? Is this not the same Chief Minister who during his first tenure had attempted to do away with the Good Friday and the 3rd December public holiday as well? Getting a few cronies to write letters seeking such a ban and taking a decision promptly on the same, is no justification for such a slanted decision by the Government, which is duty bound to ensure the larger interests of the State and not of a few propped up persons. Is there any material on record, including report of the Police and other authorities of any law and order situation being the cause for such an outrageous ban? Will the skewed reasoning behind this ban be applied to all such events and festivities? Consequently, will the Panaji traditional feast on 8th December be also a dry affair? And will it be a black Christmas this year. Will people be allowed to drink juices and gulp water only at the Sunburn and other festivals too? Or is this selective targeting? Aires Rodrigues T1 - B30, Ribandar Retreat Ribandar - Goa - 403006 Mobile: 9822684372
