PORVORIM: Laughter they say is the best medicine, and the Goa Assembly saw a spirited response to MLA Premendra Shet’s demand that drinking should be banned in Goa.
In a bolt out of the blue, BJP’s Mayem MLA Premendra Shet during the Goa Assembly session on Tuesday suddenly proposed a ban on alcohol, while speaking on the demand for grants on excise.
But even as he said this there were peals of laughter from various MLAs, which bemused Shet himself.
“Production of alcohol can be allowed in Goa (laughs as MLAs laugh) we can produce and sell in other States (laughs again as members comment). If we set a target, we should be satisfied that at least the consumption has gone down by half (laughs again),” Shet added.
A smiling Poriem MLA Deviya Rane said, “Our Maem MLA is talking of banning alcohol and I am talking about promoting and exporting Feni, because it is our Goan heritage drink (laughs). As chairperson of GFDC we have been promoting Goa Cashew industry in a very big way by starting the Cashew festival.”
“If we have to bring in Viksit Bharat and Viksit Goem, alcohol consumption should be banned. Consumption of alcohol should be banned,” Shet repeated. The other members laughed at the MLA’s demand. And he too laughed.
“If we have to scale it to new heights, the cashew fruit and its value added products such as Feni, Urrack and cashew nuts have to be promoted. Our GI heritage drink Feni, if we have to position it like Scotch from Scotland, Tequila from Mexico, etc, has to be available in all duty free shops of all international airports and exported. An awareness campaign will boost our tourism and tourist markets. We have to set standards for Urrack so that other states don’t gain the GI tag,” Rane said.
Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira said, “Feni, Football and Fish Curry are synonymous with Goa. So I don’t believe (in a ban). I don’t believe there should be a ban.”