In Goa, they call it the Russian Revolution, a constant stream of Russian immigrants who have taken over several villages in the tiny coastal state.
And now, the Russian consulate has written to the Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, saying that they may issue a travel warning for tourists going to Goa because of a perceived threat to Russians holidaying there.
On the letter sent by the consulate, JP Singh, Goa Chief Secretary said, ”I have asked the DGP to give a report on the letter sent by the Consul general.”
The warning comes after a clash between rowdy locals who allegedly roughed up a guest at a hotel run by a Russian national in Calangute.
But there’s a flipside to the story. There is brewing resentment against the Russian mafia including drug runners who have illegally taken over property, especially in north Goa.
When asked on the Russian mafia being present in Goa, JP Singh said, ”We are waiting for the ED report on the presence there.”
In Morjim, signs and banners greeting locals are in Russian and not English.
Locals say they often feel like strangers in their own land, a predicament that has occasionally led to fisticuffs and clashes.
But with the Russian authorities protesting, it is a flashpoint for the Goa government.
Courtesy: NDTV
