Sandesh Prabhudesai
15 May 2000
Kashmiris trading in the coastal belt are a big threat to Goa as well as security of the country, feels the Bharatiya Janata Party, a major partner in the coalition government led by Francisco Sardinha here in Goa.
While demanding strong and immediate action against these 'unsocial and illegal' Kashmiri traders and end their activities in the tourist state, two local BJP ministers have made a serious allegation that they are involved in illegal trade of lethal arms.
It was part of a political resolution passed at the state BJP convention, moved by senior minister Digambar Kamat and seconded by education minister Prakash Fadte and deputy speaker Ulhas Asnodkar.
Though the resolution was unanimously passed in the presence of union home minister L K Advani and senior party leader Venkaiah Naidu, none of them reacted to it while addressing the party delegates or later at the public rally held in Mapusa on Sunday.
"The entire North Goa strip from Candolim to Vagator is infested with illegal activities of Kashmiri traders. This has endangered law and order situation and peaceful atmosphere of the whole state", states the resolution.
A similar kind of allegation was made by local party leader Manohar Parrikar a month ago, while also demanding screening of the Kashmiri traders, alleging that they are involved in all sorts of illegal activities including drug trafficking.
The police however deny the charge of arms trade, though admit that many of these Kashmiri traders who sell carpets are actually involved in trade of drugs, after buying it from drug dealers coming down from Manali and other areas of North India.
Over 500 Kashmiris come down for the carpet trade every season, though their prime business is suspected to have been sale of drugs. The police however could nab only three such Kashmiris while selling charas last year.
Farooq Ahmed Sultan, a resident of Srinagar, has however been arrested recently for selling distorted and vulgar images of Hindu deities to the foreign tourists visiting the coastal state. The BJP has obviously also pointed out at this kind of 'immoral' trade.
"It is difficult to catch them red-handed since the modus operandi is to hide the stuff somewhere else and supply it on demand. They neither move with it nor sell it to any Indian but only the foreigners", states DySP Apa Teli, the police spokesman.
Teli however denies having any knowledge of these Kashmiri traders being involved in the illegal arms trade, a serious allegation made by two BJP ministers. He also denies having received any directive from the home minister to probe into it.
Though chief minister Sardinia refused to speak this time claiming that he is busy in a meeting, he had assured earlier that serious cognisance has been taken about the allegation made by Parrikar, the BJP leader. But very little appears to have been done on this front so far.
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