New Delhi:Congress on Saturday reacted sharply on alleged remarks by Goa Minister Vijai Sardesai, who described majority domestic tourists as “scum” and said north Indians wanted “Haryana in Goa”.
Congress leader from Haryana, Randeep Singh Surjewala, said that Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar should either demand Goa Town and Country Planning Minister Sardesai’s resignation or accept that he was “unable to protect the rights of his people” in the northern state.
“The (BJP) Minister of Goa government has lost his mind. In broad daylight he is insulting the people of Haryana and north India.
“Khattar Sir, either you take resignation of the BJP Minister or accept that you are unable to protect the rights of the people,” Congress spokesperson Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi.
He also attached a news report on the BJP leader’s remarks claiming a majority of the domestic tourists visiting Goa are the “scum of the earth”.
Surjewala’s remarks came a day after Sardesai stoked controversy with his remarks while speaking at the Goa Biz Fest organised at a resort near Panaji.
Sardesai said it was difficult for a state that was “superior” to the rest of India, vis-a-vis most social indices, to control “irresponsible tourists” coming from other states.
“Your Chief Minister (Manohar Parrikar) is pushing to increase tourists coming into Goa. Today, we receive tourists who are almost six times the state’s population.
“Those tourists are not the top-end tourists. They are also the scum of the earth,” Sardesai said.
Sardesai also made scathing comments about tourists from north India, “who were trying to convert Goa into a Haryana”.
“We are dependent on north Indians but this is what they do. They are not bothered about Goa. They will like to recreate a Haryana in Goa,” Sardesai said.
IANS