Russia justifies countrymen's illegal taxis
PTI, PANAJI | 25 May 2013 00:07 IST
Russian Ambassador Alexander Kadakin today defended his countrymen illegally running taxi business in Goa during their stay here, saying they did so because of local cabs overcharging enormously.
The Russian envoy also rubbished often repeated statements about the presence of "the Russian mafia" in Goa.
"If out of 1.5 lakh Russians visiting Goa annually, two to three people are badmash (crooks) that does not mean all Russians are a mafia," he told reporters here.
"Mafia means organised gangs. Gangs are always in organised crime. If they are in Goa, they will have to cooperate with somebody in Goa. We have not received any inputs about (Russian) mafia activity in Goa from law enforcement agencies," Kadakin said.
Referring to his countrymen running taxi operations in Goa, he said they were helping their fellow countrymen from being fleeced by local taxi operators who charge ten times extra.
"There are people (Russian tourists) who come to Goa to spend a week or two with their hard-earned money. Will you call Russians as 'mafia' if they help them (Russians tourists) by offering them taxi service at ten times cheaper rate?" he questioned.
Recently, local taxi operators had asked the state government to crack down on Russians who arriving here on tourist visas and operating taxi business illegally.
The Goa state transport department had undertaken a drive, after the situation in the coastal belt became tense over the issue.
I am surprised to read that the Ambassador of Russia is trying to defend the illegalities being committed by his countrymen.
If he has received complaints from his countrymen visiting Goa as tourists that the local taxi operators charge more, he should take up the matter with the authorities.
In any case, this is a serious allegation coming from an Ambassador of a friendly country, Government needs to investigate and punish the culprits without waiting for formal complaints since the allegations comes from an Ambassador from a friendly country, Russia.
It is a well known fact that at other major world resorts, if the Russians are given an "INCH", they will eventually take a "YARD".
Many Tourist Resorts around the world have Russian enclaves. Many of these enclaves are eventually known to be run by their Mafia.
It is also my ,observation that Russians find it difficult to integrate with other Nationalities.
In the UK too, they are viewed with more suspicion compared to most other Nationalities.
Anyone visiting Cyprus or Greece , will see this in motion.
Sadly Goa is going this way too.
India is probably being grateful to the Russians for their Veto during the annexation of Goa and other events to where India has been involved ....specially China/Pakistan.