The present scenario in Goa reminds me of the old saying ‘all that glitters is not gold’. That is precisely the truth for India’s tourist capital in the present day. Wearing the halo of a bohemian paradise, the beach city has been in news (please read international) for all the wrong reasons.

Imagine the money that four lakh tourists must be bringing to our economy but that too will not hold for long if the law enforcers as well as protectors do not wake up from their slumber of corruption and laxity.

The charge of rape against Goa Education Minister Babush Monserrate’s son Rohit has been a real shocker. As per the 12-year-old German victim’s mother, her daughter was sexually molested by the 21-year-old Rohit. Even the minister dad has been charged with abetment of rape as Rohit used papa’s cellphone to send several obscene messages to the girl.

As if that was not enough. They even had a bunch of hooligans bash up Aires Rodrigues, the social activist and lawyer representing the German woman. Two of his fingers were chopped off by masked men.

In January, a British tourist was kidnapped from the Kala Academy in Panajim and raped. The police is yet to take adequate action. Then a Russian tourist was attacked by a local shack owner. The man was arrested and later released on bail. Two other British women were molested by the owner of a resort. There was yet another incident but it went unreported. A Finnish woman was threatened with rape. She did file a complaint but nothing was done about it.

And what do I say about the Scarlet murder case! The world stands and ‘tsks’ our law and order system.

Even Goan popstar Remo Fernandes, who never lets go of a chance to celebrate his native place, has had enough. He is in fact contemplating to migrate to safer pastures.

Goans are also very angry with the fading image of happyland that their state was known for. Crime is increasing. There is murder, rape and drugs. But the Goa Home Minister is unfazed. He says that all’s well with the state.

(Yeah, and the rest of us are out of minds!)