New Delhi: Entrepreneur and lawyer Ramanuj Mukherjee’s recent social media post on Goa’s tourism trends, claiming that foreign tourist visits to the holiday hub, had dropped significantly, triggered a massive debate. It also invited the wrath of the Goa Tourism Department who filed a police complaint accusing him of spreading “false data through his social media handles” that allegedly caused “annoyance to local businesses”.
Hitting back at the charges, Mukherjee has now written an open letter to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant urging him to address the issues that are affecting the flow of foreign tourists to the coastal state.
In the letter, he said, “Dear @DrPramodPSawant, your tourism department has filed a police complaint against me for sharing data of plummeting tourism in Goa which started this debate.” He pointed out that the figures shouldn’t have been surprising, because members of Sawant’s own government had already admitted to a decline in tourist numbers during the 2024 Christmas-New Year season. He said that he was “angry about the frivolous complaint” but would not mind being a “scapegoat” if it results in the underlying issues being fixed.
‘Goa needs repeat tourist’
He recalled his experiences as a college student visiting Goa every year and highlighted the importance of developing repeat visitors. “You don’t visit Goa just once. Goa needs repeat tourist. People used to fall in love with Goa and went back there every chance they got. They still will if not mistreated,” he underlined.
Mukherjee indicated that his post resonated with many people because of their collective grievances. “Even if the data shared by me was incorrect, you must realise that the data itself did not make the post viral. This issue went viral because it led to an eruption of people’s feelings. Tourists went to Goa and felt cheated. They spoke about their grievances. People do not easily forget when they feel they were taken advantage of,” he wrote in the letter.
Dear @DrPramodPSawant, your tourism department has filed a police complaint against me for sharing data of plummeting tourism in Goa which started this debate.
It’s not supposed to be a shocker to you because at least two ministers in your government gave statements to media… https://t.co/eKN4W9PXbW
— Ramanuj Mukherjee (@law_ninja) November 10, 2024
‘Goa deserves no less’
He pointed out that there are no quick fixes to the problem and addressing underlying issues is essential for long-term success. Talking about his deep personal connection with Goa, Mukherjee recounted the kindness and help he received from locals during his time living in the state. “Taxi drivers who were kind to me. Landlords who came to check on me when my family was unwell. Daily wage workers who helped me build my first restaurant. Shop keepers who went out of their way to help.” He wrote, “This morning, I find myself feeling their sadness and anxiety.”
Mukherjee said he was ready to face consequences of his post but making him a scapegoat won’t solve the real problems. He concluded the letter by saying: “But will you reform Goan tourism and make it take the next great leap? India deserves no less, Goa deserves no less.”
