Parrikar says NO to Playboy club in Goa as beach shack

Bowing to pressure from within the Bharatiya Janata Party against the United States-based Playboy club's move to open its facility in the coastal state, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said the application would not be considered by his government on "technical grounds".

"The Playboy club's application for setting up the facility in beach shack would be rejected as shack licences are usually given to individuals and not to the companies", Parrikar told the assembly.

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Technically, it is not possible for the state government to grant license to Playboy Club, he added. The Playboy club, a chain of nightclubs and resorts, had applied to set up its facility in a beach shack at Candolim beach as per its business plan to open 120 clubs, bars and cafes in India by 2022.

However, the proposed venture faced stringent opposition, spearheaded by BJP Member of Legislative Assembly Michael Lobo, who alleged that the club will promote "vulgarity" and threatened hunger strike if the enterprise is allowed to operate in the state.

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He had also raised the issue on the floor of the house in the form of calling attention motion. Replying to the Calling Attention Motion, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said on Monday that there had been a lot of discussion on promotion of vulgarity once Playboy club is set up. "We all are aware of how prostitution is rampant in the coastal belt", he said.

Parulekar said that the application was received in the name of Playboy club to build a beach shack and was submitted to the government by former MLA Agnelo Fernandes.

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"As per the state government's shack policy, one can not approve applications in the brand name; one has to apply in his name", Parulekar explained.

He informed that the department has already given permission for 350 shacks on the government land and 600 in private properties.

"The department found that the application by the club does not fall under the legal purview", the minister added.

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