Discussing “vices”, from ganja to drugs to porn, to a gathering of young students on Friday at the first edition of the State Youth Parliament organised by Legislature Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said he has now started to fear as “girls have started drinking beer”. Recalling an anecdote from his years as a student at IIT-Mumbai, he said drugs are no longer a new phenomenon, as he knew of “a small group which was involved in ganja” on the campus years ago. He then spoke of drugs and how on August 13 this year, his direction led to arrest of more than 170 people for peddling drugs.
He then spoke of another section of students in his school days who would laugh at photographs, as he narrated, “ do not have to say what kind of photos they were. They used to get all kinds of porn material and they used to laugh…”
He then added: “I have begun to fear now, because even the girls have started drinking beer. So barrier of that tolerance limit is being crossed… Not all of them. I am not referring to this crowd. I am just referring…,” he said.
“How many agree? Now you will realise. Basically, I can tell you that it is not to that extent, but we are definitely worried because the drug syndicate works like this. You try to introduce it in some corner, a small group is formed and from them, it reaches out to others and more people are trapped.”
Moving back to drugs, he asked parents to keep a watch on children. “If some valuables go missing regularly. If this phenomenon goes on for a month, that is the first sign. Keep an eye on your children. According to me that is the best way of controlling it…”