Dance Bar culture of Mumbai is slowly entering into Goa said the Calangute MLA Michael Lobo while speaking to media in a press conference organized in the city. He said that some places in Calangute area have been running the business of dance bar under the guise of restaurants. He alleged that the licenses issued by the village panchayat for operating restaurants are being misused. Despite the fact that Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed on their operation, the dance bars have resumed operation, and the business is flourishing, he added. He named the few of them as Mehfil, Rio and Agni “Mehfil has already restarted operation. Rio and Agni have also restarted operation as restaurants,” he said.
He said that the dance bar culture which was running in Mumbai have been stopped by the Maharashtra government and now they are trying to take roots in Goa which has just started spreading from Calangute. This is resulting into the maligning of the image of international tourism destination in Goa. He claimed that due to this potential tourists stopped frequenting to this place. He also alleged that the owner of Mehfil tried to approach him with the bag full of money “the owner of the dance bar – Mehfil, whose name has been changed to Babu Mauchier, greases palms of government officials to run illicit business,” He said.
He also blamed the police machinery for their silence over this serious issue “The police are silent and allow running the illicit business due to the money being paid to them,” he said. According to the information provided by him there are more than 600 tout operating from Calangute alone. They persuade the customers for commission. They even go to the extent of showing the customers an image of local girls saying that these girls are available for the flesh trade due to the closure of dance bars. “I have written to the Chief Minister to look into the matter,” he added. “The dance bars, whose operation was stopped, have slowly begun to resume their operations by taking interim relief from session’s court,” he said. “I have also spoken to the Advocate General to formulate the strict rules for night clubs” He added.
He challenged the situation saying that if necessary action is not taken against the dance bar culture in Goa then the people of Calangute will take this matter in their hands “IGP has given assurance to me that he will get this menace cleaned up” He said.
Shankar Kerkar of Save Calangute Front said that “last evening, I saw one tout wooing a tourist to Mehfil. When asked he said ‘it is only a restaurant.’ But, if you see inside, it is a dance bar with an entry fee of Rs 500. The touts have no identity cards.”
Extreme commercialization of any place brings the wave of evil into the society something similar is apparently happening in the case of one of the most famous tourist spot in Goa. Calangute is one such highest rated tourist spots in Goa, surrounded by the famous clubs, saturated with restaurants and hotels resulting in many criminal activities reported from this place. Nightlife is suppose to be the heart of this place tourist from all over the world prefer to stay around this place to get access to the night clubs and casinos.
Recently the reports were lodged by some vigilant residents of Calangute which has brought the issue of drug peddling and prostitution into the light. Though the residents of the calangute are complaining about the issues like drugs being sold openly on the roads and girls being trafficked at a disco bars in Porba Vaddo, Calangute in late evening, but they are still scared to come out openly against this as they suspect the concerned authorities are hand in gloves with the criminals.
“Foreign nationals have been frequenting the bar with girls from other states even late nights and early morning. We noticed many illegal activities such as drug peddling and girls being involved in obscene acts along the main road. The inebriated foreign nationals have been a cause of concern for the locals, who fear to leave their houses,” said Peter D’Souza (name changed – Source Heraldo).
The fear of residents of Calangute area has reached to its crest as they feel that these illegal activities may burn their houses, the foreign nationals might start targeting their daughters and wives as they are backed by the political leaders. The locals have sought the support of local NGO ‘Save Calangute’ to put an end to the illegal activities.
This trend is here to stay though it will get restricted for some time resulting out of pressure from the local people but the moment everything cools down it will start growing again. If anything is the needed to be changed then it’s the mentality of the people who are supporting these illegal businesses that to in close proximity of the residential areas. What is your opinion on this issue? Please do leave your honest comments and suggestions on this serious topic.
Source: Various Sources
Edited by: Goa Prism News Desk
