Panaji:Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is facing flak for stating in the state assembly that the parents should introspect on why their children were on the beach late at night.
He made the statement during a debate on a calling attention notice.
The Chief Minister said,“When 14-year-olds stay on the beach the whole night, the parents need to introspect. Just because children don’t listen, we cannot put the responsibility on the government and police.”
Dr Sawant, who also holds the home portfolio, is under pressure in view of the rape of two minors at Benaulim in South Goa last Sunday.
“We directly blame the police, but I want to point out that of the ten youths who went to the beach for a party, four stayed on the beach the whole night and the remaining six went home. They were on the beach the whole night, two boys and two girls. Teens, particularly minors, should not be spending the nights on beaches," the Chief Minister said, parents should have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their children.
Goa Forward Party (GFP) MLA Vijay Sardesai said the state was disgraceful and unacceptable and indicated that the Chief Minister was living in the stone age.
'DISGRACEFUL, UNACCEPTABLE. The @goacm must be living in the Stone Age, but the world has moved on. By harbouring such revolting notions in this day and age, he’s proven that his govt is prejudiced and misogynistic. What safety and security can women expect from this @GovtofGoa?,' he tweeted.
Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte said,'It is shocking that @goacm is blaming parents for allowing their children to venture out in the night claiming that it is not safe. If state govt can't assure us our security, who can give it?Goa has a history of being safe state for women, that tag is being lost in @BJP4Goa rule.'
Goa Shiv Sena Vice President Rakhi Prabhudessai Naik said,'Disgraceful that @goacm in Assembly blamed parents of gang rape victims for such heinous crime. Being a woman, I want that, #Goa should be safe for us to be out even at the dead end of the night. Criminals should be in jail not in open & citizens should be in open!!.'
The Chief Minister said four men, one of them a government employee (a driver with the agriculture department), had allegedly posed as policemen and raped the two minors after beating up the boys who were with them on Benaulim beach in South Goa on Sunday.
It is to be noted that A horrific rape case has rocked goa, according to sources foursome who posed as cops raped two girls after bashing boys who were accompanied them. One of the accused has been reportedly working as a driver in the agriculture department. The incident occurred at Benaulim beach 30kms south of Goa's capital.
Goa Director General of Police (DGP) Mukesh Kumar Meena on Thursday said that crime cases in the state were being taken very seriously and in almost all the cases accused were being arrested immediately.
Speaking to reporters at the State Assembly Complex, he said,''We have immediately registered cases and arrested the persons. Law will take its own course. We are taking it very seriously. We have already directed officials to investigate the case on the merit.''
He said following the incident of rape of minors at Benaulim beach on last Sunday, patrolling had been intensified and Colva Police Station had been given more state so that beaches could be monitored.
''We have already intensified patrolling. I have already directed my staff to conduct more patrolling. We have provided Colva Police Station more staff and vehicles. We are installing CCTV cameras on the beaches at Colva. We have provided 30 persons extra to Colva Police Station so that they can monitor the beaches 24 hours. We are trying to make all our beaches safe,'' the top Cop said.
Mr Meena said police were taking prompt action in any of the cases and the accused were being arrested immediately. He also said that the government was kind enough to grant more funds for purchasing vehicles.
''In any case we are taking proper action. Whatever the cases, we are immediately making arrests. Government has given 35 more vehicles recently which have been given for patrolling. The Police Department has intensified the recruitment process. Government has granted more officers and 150 field officers have been appointed so that they are posted in the field. We are taking all the steps. Government is helping us. We are purchasing more vehicles so that Goa is safe,'' he said.
He, however, did not comment on the statement made by the Chief Minister in the state assembly. (UNI)