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Politicsbjpgoagoa elections 2017

Goa Election 2017: BJP Promises To Protect Licensed Liquor Outlets Hit By Supreme Court Judgement

These liquor shops face closure due to the recent SC ruling.
IANS
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courtneyk via Getty Images

PANAJI -- The BJP, if returned to power, will work towards giving protection to licensed liquor outlets along Goa's state and national highways which face closure due to a recent judgement by the Supreme Court banning them, because of high rate of accidents, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said on Sunday.

The Goa BJP, in its manifesto for the upcoming state assembly elections, promises to examine ways and means to protection to the nearly 2,500 licensed bars and liquor outlets, which are located within 200 meters of the state's major roads.

"We are examining the issue, that is one thing. Preliminary surveys are being done to see. First and foremost we have to accept that we are a touristic state and how many restaurants are affected. In Goa it is just not that it is a liquor shop. Most of the restaurants have the facilities and all restaurants to the extent of about over 2,500 are affected in this," Parsekar said.

"So we are exploring a possibility of all possible measures to give protection to these restaurants," he added.

The Supreme Court in its order in December had ordered a ban on all licences liquor outlets located within 200 mts from state highways and national highways citing high number of accident involved drunken driving.

The BJP in its manifesto also promises to eliminate unemployment, give tourism an industry status, etc.

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Goa's Flea Markets Captured On Instagram
(01 of22)
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Trusty Ray-Bans make the determined armour for an energetic shopping day... (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(02 of22)
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Sleepy, inviting hammocks at the start of the market. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(03 of22)
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Turns out you can buy a rainbow...from a grumpy lady (see below). I pay her the VERY fair price of Rs 10 (not in her opinion) per cheap, rainbow-y ankle thread. They last for precisely three hours on my ankle before being washed away in the sea. But till then I am happy, as fascinated by them as a to-be-Indian bride in a fancy jewellery store. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(04 of22)
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Afore-mentioned grumpy rainbow-thread selling lady. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(05 of22)
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It's not a proper flea market visit without a mug of foamy, golden beer. The food's more of a sustenance affair - carbs to keep your legs walking through the market. The beer's a welcome respite - be in in the hot sunshine or breezy evenings. And the fuzziness that sets in later to hamper your bargaining skills is never minded. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(06 of22)
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Little colour bombs of wool to be threaded into your hair. Though God knows how you get them out later. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(07 of22)
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Throngs of colour! Brazilian-origin feather earrings that are OUTRAGEOUSLY priced - enough to offend thrifty Indian sensibilities (y'know the kinds that kick into action when you have to dole out an extra Rs 10 to the parking lot chappie). (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(08 of22)
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Exquisite fish locks that sit as serene as the sea at dawn (it's only at afternoon that all noisy-touristy hell breaks loose on the beach). (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(09 of22)
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Jewellery-selling locals are bound to treat you with disdain unless you sport blond hair or speak to them in Goan... a friendly smile, NOT calling them 'Bhaiya' or 'Boss' goes a long way. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(10 of22)
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In retrospect, this ice cream looks like toxic waste. Back then it fit right into the Goan psychedelic scheme of things. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(11 of22)
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A quiet moment behind iridescent curtains in a cacophonous market. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(12 of22)
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Before giving in to giant feathery earrings, consider that even a drop of sweat can spoil their giant, fluffy appearances. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(13 of22)
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It sits through the sands of time. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(14 of22)
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A perfect opportunity to buy something I'm never going to use! (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(15 of22)
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Sinking your toes into sun-warmed sand is therapeutic only at the beach - not at the flea market! (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(16 of22)
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Cannot resist quoting spice is the variety of life, followed by a quick whack by friends for terrible pun. These spices bring back memories of accompanying mom on shopping trips inside musty stores with fat sellers in mustard-stained pyjamas. Even now as I dip my fingers into their powdery interiors (on the pretext of examining quality), I can almost hear my mom admonishing me not to. Something about their crumbly structure boxed up neatly makes me want to rip open the bags and watch them colour the air. Eventually after enough rummaging.... atchoo! (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(17 of22)
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Dangling at home alone, these stars take on a forlorn, cheesy persona. But here, clustered together in the bright Goan markets, they add some lustre to the term 'star-struck'. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(18 of22)
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These 'exotic' teas dot different corners of the bustling market like inky punctuation marks - a welcome break from the expanse of screaming colours blurring your vision. (Must ask: who has a palate for banana tea, anyway?) (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(19 of22)
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There's a certain 'je ne sais quoi' about these tawdry plastic candle hangers, bad as an investment they are. Kind of like the playboy dance trainer your mother warned you to stay away from. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(20 of22)
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Mezmersing swirls of brightly-tinted cane work... the ideal prop for any children's room, these don't spoil easy. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(21 of22)
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More stars! (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
(22 of22)
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The final curtain: gently waving hammocks bid adieu to a golden day of flea-marketing. (credit:Aashmita Nayar)
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-- This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.