Goa Dy CM: 'Won't allow anti-CAA, other political messages on floats at Goa Carnival'

Ahead of the Goa Carnival which is slated for February 22, Deputy Chief Minister and Tourism Minister of Goa Manohar Ajgaonkar on Tuesday said that the state government will see to it that no political message, including that of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), is allowed on the floats at the Goa carnival.

"The Goa government will keep a strict watch to ensure none of the floats at the carnival here have anti-Citizenship Amendment Act or other such political messages," Ajgaonkar said.

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The main float parade is slated for February 22 in all the major cities of the state including the capital city Panaji and the carnival will go on till February 25. Ahead of the carnival festivities, the North Goa district administration has withdrawn Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) which was imposed last week after intelligence inputs were received about possible terror threats along the western coast.

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The North Goa district administration had imposed CrPC Section 144 last week, following intelligence inputs about possible terror threats along the western coast of India and the possibility of anti-social elements committing a crime in the state or elsewhere. The opposition parties earlier questioned the imposition of Section 144 of CrPC in the coastal state, saying such a move would adversely affect the tourism industry.

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'Carnival', along with 'Shigmo' are the two major traditional Catholic and Hindu festivals respectively celebrated in the state. Every year, hundreds of revelers including locals and tourists throng the annual Goa Carnival.

The statement by the Deputy Chief Minister Ajgaonkar has come in the backdrop of the unrest caused pertaining to CAA which witnessed violent protests in several parts of the country more specifically in Delhi's universities such as Jamia Millia Islamia University and JNU. Also in Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh with alleged incidents of rioting and police' harsh retaliation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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