Culture

Ban on Christmas/New Year Parties on Goa Beaches lifted - Imposed

by Ravi Dixit | December 18, 2008 at 10:46 pm

812 views | 24 Recommendations | 5 comments

Update 21st December: Another flip flop, the beach parties are banned and looks like the ban is here to stay. There are security fears, parties inside hotels are on but beaches will be out of bounds for partying unlike yesteryears!!

Update: Just after the ban was imposed, the bumbling government took a U turn and retracted the ban. This was obviously done due to hectic lobbying by the Powerful Hotels Lobby, the hospitality industry is going through its leanest patch in years!!

Original Story:

No Christmas or New Year Parties on Goa Beaches - Bumbling Government

It is being reported that goverment is bumbling again and this time they have decided to Kill the spirit of the Year End festivities in India's most popular International Tourist Destination GOA.

As per the report Government has banned the famed Goa Beach Parties this year citing security reasons. The government is shrugging the responsibility of protacting the citizens and overseas guest and spreading the already established propoganda about India being an unsafe tourist destination. Truth being furthest as GOA is considered a safe tourist destination and so far there has been no major disasters in the State. GOA has been in news for murder of foreign tourists and what is expected of teh government is ensuring security not stop the spirited celebrations that are so deeply rooted in teh GOAn culture.

Panaji: In a move which could send wrong signals to Goa-bound vacationers, the state government Thursday banned parties and celebrations on beaches and other open areas from December 23 to January 5 citing 'safety reasons'.

Home minister Ravi Naik told reporters after a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting that parties and celebrations inside hotels and other closed areas would be permitted. He further said that the ban was ordered following a recommendation by the CLP, which is headed by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.

Last year protesters against the Special Economic Zones planned in the state of GOA threatned tourists to leave GOA before the New Year as they warned them of getting involved in their battle with state mechinery. Better sense prevailed and the protests were called off and Tourists enjoyed the SUN and Sand and the celebrations. For some year GOA has been receiving warned of impending attacks as it is a popular tourist destination with Foreigners and security apperatus has done a great job to keep the Tourist Heaven safe. Banning all beach parties is a giant step back for this state.

Armed police were deployed on the beaches of Goa yesterday after activists opposed to the setting up of special industrial enclaves in India's premier resort warned tourists to vacate the state by Friday, or face violent protests.
The warning to tourists to leave Goa at the height of the holiday season was issued by former state tourism minister, Mathany Saldhana. "We're not going to try to attack tourists, but they could get injured when we begin our fight with the government," said Saldhana, who is convenor of the Goa Movement Against Special Economic Zones.

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Paschen

at 22:54 on December 18th, 2008

Is that not the goal of terrorism and if we fall for it we lost and they won.

Amitjha

at 23:26 on December 18th, 2008

Thats the point, if tour of cricket can be canceled then why not beach parties?

We are helping Terrorists in making there agenda of terror a success.

Ravi Dixit

at 00:23 on December 19th, 2008

Amit, the tour was to a different country and saying that we cannot guarrantee security of our cricketers in Pakistan is one thing and saying that we cannot guarrantee the security of our citizens in India is in a totally different league!! No problems with cancelling parties.. but banning them for lack of security and labelling GOA as unsafe in the bargain is a problem for sure !!

Amitjha

at 02:00 on December 19th, 2008

Your own argument demistyfies that threat whether here or any where, is going to make its impact, directly or indirectly on every country.

What if countries refuse to visit india to participate in commonwealth games, all these terror groups have to do is one or two sucide blast, and how efficient is out security network that had been exposed several times.

so our mission of fight against terrorism will never succeed if we stop this kind of interactive oppurtunities.