PANAJI: Demanding that the government should take serious view about the drug trade in the state and investigate the same thoroughly, including allegations as regards the involvement of the son of a Goan politician in the same, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday
observed that the release of the notorious Israeli drug peddler, Yaniv Benahim alias Atala on conditional bail by the Mapusa NDPS court clearly reflected the inefficiency of the government in general and the state police in particular.
Addressing a press conference in the city, the spokesperson of the state BJP unit, Mr Rajendra Arlekar said that the BJP does not feel a need to hand over the drug case to the CBI, at this juncture.
"There is however, a laxity on the part of the police in investigating the matter as seen from the release of Atala on bail," he maintained, pointing out that there was an indictment from the High Court on government and police, on this issue.
Questioning the failure of the police in interrogating Ms Lucky Farmhouse, the Swedish girl-friend of Atala for alleging involvement of the son of a Goan politician in the drug trade, when she was in India, Mr Arlekar said that the Congress party may have halted the police investigation in this direction, to save the particular politician. "The high ranking police officials including the director general of police need to think seriously over this matter," he added.
Speaking further, Mr Arlekar said that the government should immediately order a CBI inquiry into the excise scam that rocked the state.
"The inquiry into the scam was handed over to the Finance Secretary, Mr Udipta Ray who has long been relieved from the post after his transfer, and the same is presently conducted by Mr Rajiv Yaduvanshi," he noted, stating that asking Mr Yaduvanshi to conduct the inquiry was like "asking a thief to protect the safe", as Mr Yaduvanshi is the secretary to the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, who himself is in the ambit of the scam.
The BJP also came out against the government for failing to distribute textbooks and raincoats to the school students on time.
"It has been two weeks since the schools in the state re-opened for the new academic year, but some of the students are yet to get their textbooks, while all of them are waiting eagerly for raincoats," Mr Arlekar observed, questioning as to whether the raincoats would be distributed to the students in December like previous years.
He also mentioned that the Education Minister, Mr Atanasio Monseratte was too much engrossed in his own entry in the Congress party and has totally neglected the welfare of the students. "Is the distribution of the textbooks and raincoats kept on hold for absence of tenders providing sufficient commission," he questioned, demanding that the director of education, Dr Celsa Pinto should now take initiative for disbursing textbooks and raincoats to students.
