JOIN USBJP on the back foot after Goa's biggest nightclub is sold due to harassment
A day after Ricardo D'Souza, a promoter of Goa's iconic nightclub 'Club Tito's' announced the sale of all businesses in the state citing harassment by politicians and bureaucrats, the Goa BJP appeared to be on the back foot, even as an outgoing president of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry bemoaned the downward slide in ease of doing business mechanisms in the coastal state.
While state Bharatiya Janata Party president Sadanand Shet Tanavade expressed sorrow at a native businessman having to wind up an established business due to harassment, Ports Minister Michael Lobo urged D'Souza to name government officials who had harassed him.
"If anybody has harassed him, he should tell me the name. We will take action if anybody from our departments has harassed him," Michael Lobo told reporters. Lobo is also an elected legislator from the Calangute assembly constituency, where Club Tito's is located.
"Until I speak to him, it is not right of me to comment on this. I have never gone there (Club Tito's), but I know him by name and as a good person. No one should shut down a business due to harassment. This should not happen," state BJP president Tanavade also said.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant however dodged comment on the issue.
On Monday, D'Souza announced the sale of all business in Goa through a Facebook post that went viral, with fans and patrons of the clubs slamming government indifference to local businesses.
Earlier on Tuesday, Manoj Caculo, the outgoing president of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry also slammed the dipping standards of ease of doing business norms in Goa.
"Caculo also expressed concern about the downward slide in Goa’s ranking on Ease of Doing Business," a statement issued by the Chamber said.
The Chamber also rued the lack of progress vis a vis implementation of its suggestions made to the Goa government to revive business and industry sectors, which have been affected by the pandemic.
"Caculo also expressed the industry’s opposition, apprehensions and disappointment about the amendments in the Industrial Disputes Act, Goa Factory Rules, charging all levies in full to all establishments by the municipalities and panchayats during such a major crisis," the statement also said.