During the monsoon session of the assembly, Chief Minister Sawant responded to a question posed by Calangute BJP MLA Michael Lobo, stating that there are no dance bars operating under the guise of restaurants in the Calangute area.
In December of the previous year, Michael Lobo had met with the Director General of Police (DGP), Jaspal Singh, and requested action against alleged illegal dance bars operating in his constituency of Calangute, as well as against touts who deceive tourists.
In January of this year, around 500 local residents from the coastal areas of Calangute and Baga in North Goa organized a protest against the “dance bar” culture, drug activities, and prostitution in the area. They demanded immediate action to address these concerns, asserting that such practices were tarnishing the reputation of Goa.
Participants in the rally included senior citizens, women, and youths, all calling for an end to the “dance bar” culture. They expressed concerns about the safety of both girls and boys in the locality due to the presence of dance bars. The protesters urged the government to take decisive action against dance bars, touts, and drug-related issues.
Joseph Sequeira, the Sarpanch of Calangute constituency, stated that they have not granted permission for the operation of dance bars. Licenses are only issued for restaurants. Sequeira highlighted that there is no provision for issuing a license specifically for a dance bar, so some establishments may be misusing their restaurant licenses for illegal purposes.