Goa is a safe place for tourists: Goa CM

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New Delhi: The Goa the police, on Thursday, released the photograph of the suspect who allegedly raped a nine-year-old Russian girl.

The state government said that they are doing all they can to nab the accused, allegedly a tourist from Uttar Pradesh.

However, these assurances are sounding hollow in the face of repeated sexual offences against tourists.in Goa. The Goa government on Thursday faced an angry Opposition and the Russian Ambassdor who said he was looking at issuing an adverse travel advisory.

CNN-IBN spoke to the Chief Minister of Goa, Digambar Kamat and the victim's lawyer Vikram Verma on Talking Point and raised the question: Is Goa India's rape capital or a victim of image trap?

CNN-IBN: The Russian ambassador particularly said the Goa Government is not doing enough. How do you respond when the national media calls the Goa increasingly becoming a rape capital?

Digambar Kamat: I believe that the incident which took place is the most unfortunate incident. Such incidents should not happen in the state like Goa. I fully agree with this view point. But after this incident took place immediate action was initiated by the police based on the clues provided by the mother of this girl. Police even today have released the photographs of the accused and I am sure they are on the right track and they (the police) will see that these people are immediately nabbed.

CNN-IBN: Are Russians soft targets in Goa today?

Digambar Kamat: The incidents are unfortunate. But whenever such incidents have occurred, the goverment has swung into action and immediately tried to nab the culprit. In the last case, where in an accused was given an anticipatory bail, government went and appealed to the High Court, got the bail canceled and ultimately arrested the accused.

CNN-IBN: Some of your opponents have come on record saying that the Goa government is not maintaining law and order.

Digambar Kamat: There is a collective responsibility in the government. Whoever makes the statements, he first has to see that he is first a part of the government. Each one who is part of the government should follow some restraint.

CNN-IBN: Do you believe that its an image trap that everytime a tourist is attacked in Goa, it gets hyped up where as a lot of these cases are happening across the country?

Digambar Kamat: I am again repeating, that Goa is still a safe place for the tourists. We have 25 lakh tourist visiting the state and some incidents take place which should not have taken place. We are trying to work out a solution for such incidents. I feel that sometimes it unnecessarily takes a beating on the image of the state.

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CNN-IBN: Goa is seen as a tourist paradise, you want tourist to come to Goa. What kind of assurances are you give to the tourists who are coming to your state?

Digambar Kamat: Goa is a safe place for tourists. Tourists have been moving freely in Goa. There is no iota of truth in the statements made by some politicians. But whenever such incidents have taken place, I again repeat that the police have taken action immediately. Even in this case, I am personally monitoring this case.

CNN-IBN: Is it not true that there is drugs and that you had controlled on the drug mafia but it's now coming again, that there is land mafia and criminal elements with political links. Because in the past, there is a feeling that politicians have supported these groups?

Digambar Kamat: I would not like to make a comment on this but as far as the government is concerned, we will not allow anybody to take any law or illegal things into his hands.

CNN-IBN: The Goa police have released a photograph in the case .... We do believe the mother has been able to provide details about the accused, efforts are on to nab in. Are you satisfied with what's happened so far?

Vikram Verma: Well, the photograph provided by the Goan police have been shown to the mother in my presence and she has confirmed that there is a strong resemblance to the man who committed the crime. But when she meets this individual in person she will be hundred per cent sure that this is the person, she will be able to identify him without any doubt.

CNN-IBN: From some of the statements that the young girls mother has given to the media, she says this crime was pre-planned because since the morning the accused did try to talk to her and befriend her. Is that correct?

Vikram Verma: Yes, that is correct because her husband left on the 24th and when on the 25th morning she came out into the beach side area, these people had tried to get friendly with her and one of them was playing with the child and the other was talking to her. Subsequently the person playing with the child came back and he stood in front of her and diverted her attention and also tried to obstruct her continuous view of the child playing in the shallow waters. And that point of time, the person took the child behind the rocks and sexually abused the child.

CNN-IBN: The version that's going on that it was an Indian tourist..., not someone really from Goa who was involved in this crime. Is that correct?

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Vikram Verma:The information I have is that they are originally from outside Goa, but one of them was employed in a company in Goa. Which means that he was not really a tourist. But the amount of people coming on Republic Day coming to Goa beaches, perhaps these people with a criminal intent had come to the beaches thinking they could do some kind of a crime and get away with it.

CNN-IBN:You have probably heard the comments that are being made by political parties saying the govt in the state is simply not doing enough to protect the tourists. Do your clients get that sense as well that its been unsafe and the police hasn't been up to task?

Vikram Verma: As an advocate, not so much concerned with politics as I am concerned with the criminal justice system. Here I find that despite a number fo crimes having been committed against foreigners, unfortunately there is not a single conviction in any case. And with a zero conviction rate of crimes against foreigners in a state dependent on tourism, there is a strong confidence build up in criminals that they can commit crimes against foreigners and get away with it. So we have to increase the conviction rate and people who commit crimes, they must be investigated, crimes must be recorded and there must be a good criminal justice system in place that is a deterrent towards criminals.

CNN-IBN:Are you satisfied with how the police has handled your case?

Vikram Verma: The quality of work that has been done is the litmus test of that work is in the conviction or an acquittal. The attempt to arrest or simply an arrest is never satisfactory for an advocate. To me the satisfaction will come when there is a conviction. I mean there have been instances when people have arrested promptly and then the court finds that there is no evidence gathered and releases the man. I would rather wait to comment on the quality of judgment and work done on this matter.

CNN-IBN: Goa has seen a repeat of cases like these over the last few months. Whats added to the anger is some of the statements that have come from politicians that tourists need to be careful about where they are, what they are doing?

Vikram Verma: One is very clear about it as far as crime is concerned that anybody can be a victim of crime.. a woman who is gone to the beach side in her bikini could become a victim of crime.. we have case where a 80-yr-old woman lying in the hospital has been raped. We have situations where young boys have been molested by men..it is unfair for anybody to blame the victim..a civilised society understand that a crime happens, they identify the criminal and there are systems in place to put that criminal behind bars so that there is a deterrent in society towards crime.. blaming the victim is not a best thing to do.

CNN-IBN:The Russian embassy has spoken strongly as well. Even talking of a travel advisory. What is the kind of help and assistance your clients need at this hour?

Vikram Verma: What I feel is any civilised government will be concerned about its citizens. Indians are concerned about its citizens in Melbourne.. the Russians are concerned about its citizens in Goa. There have been a number of crime against Russian citizens in Goa and information regarding the progress in these crime have not been received by the Russian authorities..hopefully if we can provide the progress and crimes can be detected the concern would be informed and dealt.