Russians should sunbathe, have fun, go back, says Goa BJP

PANAJI - Goa Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Laxmikant Parsenkar Monday said Russian tourists should stay for two months, sunbathe, have fun, spend money and go back.

The senior BJP legislator also warned that Russian tourists should not indulge in businesses when they come to Goa on a tourist visa.

The ’susegado’ (relaxed) attitude which Goans have is working against us. Goans themselves let out tourism business establishments to foreigners so that they can earn money without doing much, Parsenkar told reporters.

Public awareness campaigns are necessary to counter this. Just because you get money, it doesnt mean that you allow them (Russian tourists) to sit on your heads, Parsenkar, a legislator from Mandrem, a beachside constituency popular with Russian tourists, said.

A taxi driver’s murder last month at Morjim, after a scuffle with a Russian businessman, triggered a wave of resentment gainst the Russians among the local population.

The ‘panchayat’ (village council) passed a resolution seeking a ban on Russian signages and businesses carried in Morjim village.

They should come as tourists. Stay for two months, sunbathe, have fun, spend money and go back. They should not start illegal businesses here, Parsenkar said.

Parsenkar said the home ministry records showed only three foreign nationals officially carrying out businesses in his coastal constituency but he could list several hundred foreigners who were illegally conducting a host of tourism-related businesses.

Goa, a popular tourism destination sees nearly 2.4 million tourists annually, of which 500,000 are foreigners.

Last season saw approximately 40,000 Russian tourists flock to Goa, most of whom head for the beaches of Morjim, Arambol and Ashwem, located nearly 40 km from here.