Indian village bans foreign holidaymakers from kissing in public
PUBLISHED : Friday, 27 March, 2015, 1:57pm
UPDATED : Friday, 27 March, 2015, 1:59pm
Agence France-Presse in Panaji, India
An Indian bride huddles with another at a mass ceremony. A local Indian village says public displays of affection offend local sensitivities. Photo: AP
An Indian village in a western coastal state has imposed a ban on couples kissing in public, claiming the sight of such “obscene” behaviour is unwanted by local residents.
The village parliament of Salvador-de-Mundo, 13 kilometres north of Goa’s capital Panaji, unanimously passed a resolution this week warning holidaymakers against engaging in public displays of affection.
“We have adopted this resolution following complaints from villagers about couples kissing in public. This was the only way to put an end to it,” deputy village chief Reena Fernandes said yesterday.
She said they had complained to local authorities but a lack of response had forced the council to take matters into its own hands and pass a resolution which also “banned public drinking and playing loud music”.
However, she declined to comment on whether punitive action will be taken against potential violators of the bylaws.
“We have serene beaches which attract tourists in a big way. Several times we saw couples acting indecently which irked us,” villager Savio Rebeiro said.
The fishing hub on the Arabian sea coastline has now displayed banners in public places to spread awareness of the prohibitions.
Goa’s long sandy beaches have long been a haven for millions of tourists drawn mostly from the West, but a string of controversial statements by local politicians has dented its tourist-friendly image.
The state is ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which this week barred its female employees from wearing jeans and sleeveless tops in the office.
Last year a top Goa minister demanded a ban on wearing bikinis on beaches, drawing criticism from the public and tourism industry.
