Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar apologised on Thursday for the use of a derogatory word to refer to an African in a written reply tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday.
During Zero Hour, Mr. Parrikar said the word had figured in the schedules, in reply to a question on the number of foreign nationals arrested in drug cases, because of a clerical error. “Therefore, if someone is hurt by the use of this word in the papers attached to the answer, I apologise for that,” he said. “The clerk in the police department does not understand how serious the particular word is.”
The African was arrested at Calangute on May 8.
Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Congress MLA, brought the issue to the notice of the House during Question Hour.
The Congress said such unfortunate references created a bad image about Goa among the international tourist community.
