On Wednesday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the State Assembly that the parents of teenagers need to introspect as to why their wards hang out on the beaches after dark. The Goa CM was responding to accusations voiced by the Opposition MLAs, who had alleged a breakdown in the law and order in the state while citing the July 24 gang rape case of two minor girls on Benaulim beach in South Goa at night.
"Ten children went for a party on the beach. Out of the 10, six returned home. The remaining four, including two boys and two girls, stayed on the beach the whole night. When a 14-year old girl spends the night on the beach, the parents too have to introspect, they too should be taking care," the Chief Minister said in his reply to a calling attention motion moved during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the State Assembly.
"It is also our responsibility. Just because children are not listening (to their parents), we cannot leave all the responsibility to the police," Sawant said.
Four persons, namely Asif Hateli, 21, Rajesh Mane, 33, Gajanand Chinchankar, 31, and Nitin Yabbal, 19, have been arrested in connection with the alleged rape incident.
The Opposition, meanwhile, slammed the Chief Minister's comment on the rape issue. Former Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai said that Goa's brand image should be that anyone is safe to travel in the state till late into the night. Sardesai said, "That should be Goa's brand image. As a Home Minister, you should say 'we are so safe, you can travel at night. Nothing will happen’.”