Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai said on Saturday that the state government’s asking liquor shops to stay closed on account of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit was “laughable”. Tweeting a letter from the excise inspector of the Tiswadi taluka, Sardesai said, “This is not only an arbitrary and authoritarian act but also a derogatory comment on the culture of Goa and the decency of Goemkars (Goans).” “Ministers will come and go. Why should bars and wine shops be asked to stay closed?” he added. The state government, however, clarified that the letter was issued to just three establishments in Panaji and not to all liquor shops. Panaji is in the Tiswadi taluka. The letter tweeted by the MLA was dated June 9 and the subject stated: “Request for closure of liquor shops and bars during the visit of Hon’ble Union Finance Minister on 11th June 2022, regarding”. The letter signed by excise inspector Surekha Gohar said, “As part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” (AKAM) celebration, the Hon’ble Union Finance Minister is visiting Goa on 11/06/2022 to dedicate “Dharohar”, the National Museum of Customs and GST. In view of the above, you are directed to keep your licensed premises closed on 11/06/2022 till 8 pm.” While the letter elicited several responses on social media questioning the decision to ask the wine shops to down their shutters, the government clarified that the order was issued only to three establishments–two bars and one wine shop–in the vicinity of the National Museum of Customs in Panaji and not to bars or wine shops across the state. Sitharaman was slated to inaugurate ‘Dharohar’, the renovated museum, in Panaji on Saturday evening. Many wine shops in the state capital are open and running their business as usual on Saturday. Excise comes under the finance portfolio, held by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Officials from the chief minister’s office said customs officials had made a request to the state government to ask bars near the museum to remain closed to prevent crowding near the venue. “We accepted their request and asked only three establishments near the museum to stay closed for six hours while the event takes place. One was a wine shop and two were bars. When the wine shop owner said there would be no guests sitting at the shop, he was allowed to stay open. There was no complaint or opposition from the bar owners,” an official said. The official explained, “This is not unusual in Goa. Sometimes even when there are events like large weddings in different parts of Goa, wine shop or bar owners near the venue agree to close their shops for a day.”
