For all its inexplicable inaction, the Goa Government is squarely to be blamed for the predicament being faced by those thousands of bars and liquor stores across Goa on account of that liquor ban judgment by the Supreme Court.
It was the bounden duty of the Goa Government to have infact intervened initially while the issue was under consideration of the Supreme Court and aggressively placed the facts vis- a- vis Goa which are unique to some other states. Even after the December 15th order of the Supreme Court the Goa Government has merely oscillated on whether to file a review petition. Unlike the relentless enthusiasm otherwise displayed in still trying to get Digambar Kamat’s bail cancelled in the Supreme Court, it is now over three long months and the Goa Government has not yet filed a review petition or sought modification of the Supreme Court’s liquor ban order. Is that stoic silence because the RSS which sets the agenda for the BJP government would like to see Goa to go dry the Gujarat way? Infact the Goa Government strangely took comfort of the skewed legal opinion given by the Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi that the Supreme Court order would not apply to bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. A similar opinion was also expressed by our Advocate General and was oddly upheld by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who bizarrely tried to himself interpret the Supreme Court order. That the Supreme Court has now junked that legal opinion given by Mukul Rohatgi comes as no surprise. >From December 15th to March 11th then Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar slept over the issue and now Manohar Parrikar cannot engage into any more of dilly-dally on such a vital issue that has a far reaching impact on the livelihood of thousands of Goans. And it’s time for those caged Watch Dogs of Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn to also get roaring! Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com