BJP, Cong assure clamp down on Goa narcotics trade

With poll campaign hotting up, ruling BJP and opposition Congress have come up with assurances to end the menace of narcotics trade in the coastal state.
Both parties contesting North and South Goa parliamentary constituencies have assured the electorate to put an end to illegal drugs trade as part of their election promise.
Congress, which has been drawing a flak for fielding former state home minister Ravi Naik who is indicted in the State Legislative Assembly's drugs report, has now included eradication of drug menace as poll plank.
Congress' Goa unit president John Fernandes today said the involvement of multiple agencies in curbing the illegal trade was creating confusion.

"The Congress government will work towards having a single central agency which will chart out its plan to weed out drugs from the state," he said.
The party manifesto has conceded existence of drug wars in the coastal state, which it has attributed to the presence of mafias, affecting the law and order situation.

Congress has alleged that some government agencies too are part of the trade.
BJP is saying that investigation into drug trade in the coastal belt will be conducted through central agencies.
BJP's North Goa nominee Shripad Naik said, "Central agencies like CBI would be asked to probe in detail the links the narcotics trade has in the state".