Male prostitution prevalent in Goa prisons: Rane  

Panaji, Jul 28: Male prostitution was prevalent in the state's prisons, Leader of Opposition Pratapsinh Rane today claimed in the Goa Legislative Assembly.

Recalling a letter sent to him during his tenure as state Home Minister, Rane said, "There is male prostitution amongst the jail birds (inmates)".

"I don't know whether (state) Home Minister (and Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar) has visited (a) jail. It's a pathetic situation. When I was Home Minister... I got a letter which stated that there is male prostitution amongst the jail birds. These boys are put with hardened criminals," Rane, a former Chief Minister, said.

He moved a cut motion for demands for grants for Jail and Police departments. The Congress legislator demanded that hardened and other criminals should be lodged in separate lock ups.

"Allow the inmates to give their complaint to the authorities in writing," he said. He also demanded that 'matka gambling' should be legalised in Goa.

"Matka bookies are all over the place. Legalise it (matka). You have allowed so many casinos already," said the Leader of Opposition.

Rane also demanded that the Goa government should be strict while granting licences so that the number of road accidents are curtailed. He also said the state government should pay serious attention towards the drug menace.

"There is drug abuse and there are drug traffickers. Many a times we blame some foreigners. But the consumers are locals," he claimed.

"The drugs is killing our younger generation. We have to nip it in the bud. We have practically written off coastal belt for what is happening there. Not only drug trafficking, there is human trafficking also happening there," Rane claimed.

"Tomorrow any tourist will mistake our own ladies as being freely available. This is not what we expect to be Goa's tourism," Rane said.

PTI