PM
to holiday in Goa
Sandesh Prabhudesai
26 December 2002
Prime
minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be holidaying in Goa, from
29 December to 1 January, celebrating the New Year in the
coastal state.
"This automatically nullifies the rumours of terror
attacks by Palestinians or Al Qaida", states Goa chief
minister Manohar Parrikar.
Besides Vajpayee, hordes of central ministers, ministers
of different states, governors, judges, bureaucrats, industrialists,
celebrities from the Bollywood have started arriving in the
tourist state, to join the festive Christmas mood here.
Parrikar has however denied the news that deputy prime minister
L K Advani will also follow the prime minister, in the first
week of January. The PM is coming down purely on a private
visit, to take rest, without any official function.
The state BJP chief minister has however said that no single
stone is left unturned in terms of the security arrangements,
to provide security not only to the VIPs and VVIPs, but even
the local and foreign tourists coming down to celebrate.
The peaceful tiny state had suddenly gone on a hit list last
week with the news hitting here from Jerusalem that Palestinians
may hit the state, to target thousands of young Israelis who
come down to Goa every year during Christmas season.
Besides prime minister's special SPG cover, around 800 central
commandos have already arrived here and have been spread out
all along the coastline. The Navy, Coast Guard and marine
police are also monitoring the waters.
In addition, besides the local police force, the officials
of revenue intelligence, sales tax and excise are also monitoring
the movement of several outsiders, especially the Kashmiris,
who camp along the coastline to sell carpets without doing
any business.
The BJP chief minister has also appealed to the Muslim community
to ensure that no suspicious person utilises the local facility.
"I consider anybody suspicious who cannot justify his
stay in Goa", said Parrikar.
As a part of intensive interrogation exercise, the police
have already picked up over 300 foreigners till date for enquiries.
The police have also been taking central help to verify their
data bank of criminals and suspicious elements.
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