Wriggling out of a difficult situation, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that his Government would not grant licence to Playboy Club as a beach shack without directly saying that he would not allow the Playboy franchise to set up shop in Goa.
Replying to a Calling Attention Motion raised by his own party legislator, Michael lobo Parrikar said that giving licences to international franchises was not in tune with the State’s shack policy.
“I am assuring the House that Playboy Club will not be allowed as a shack. We give permissions only to individuals and not to global chains,” Parrikar said.
According to the Goa Government’s beach shack policy, shacks could not be allotted in the name of branded international chains, but in names of individuals. Whether Playboy can function away from the shore has not been spoken about.
Whether the Government would grant permission to the PB lifestyle to start a club, generated much debate in the State especially after Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar had initially said that the Government had asked for an affidavit from the franchise that there would be no obscenity and vulgarity on the premises.
lobo, who represents the Calangute constituency in whose area the village of Candolim in which the club is scheduled to come, is also the North Goa president. He had accused his own Government of trying to “promote prostitution”.