Goa tourism minister wants only "richest tourists" to visit the state

Panaji: Goa tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, on Tuesday, stoked controversy by saying that the state doesn’t want tourists “who come to Goa and cook food inside a bus”.

News agency ANI tweeted Ajgaonkar as saying “We don’t want tourists who consume drugs & who spoil Goa. We don’t want tourists who come to Goa & cook food inside a bus.”

Further, the minister said that they wanted the “richest tourists” to visit the state. “We welcome all tourists but they should enjoy themselves while respecting Goa’s culture,” Manohar Ajgaonkar said.

Twitter was divided about the controversial remarks. A user criticized the statement and wrote “plz tell amount (sic) of bank balances [to] enjoy Goa trip… Goa belongs to every Indian whether rich or poor.”

Another user came in support of the minister and wrote “As a Goan I fully support his stance. Tourists coming in buses, cook on road side, dirty beaches, fields and green areas, bath under public taps and go back – we don’t want them here. We welcome tourists who help our economy, who live decently and keep Goa clean.”