Panaji:
Irish rockstar Bob Geldof's remark that he got his "best drugs" from Goa has come under attack from a right wing Hindu organisation, which has accused him of hurting national sentiments.
While tourism industry players in Goa have said that Mr Geldof's statement was not in the context of current situation, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) has filed a complaint with the Irish embassy against the rocker.
Mr Geldof, who was recently in Goa to participate in an event, had claimed that he was happy to be in the state which gave him the "best drugs".
He was referring to the era when he was 14-years-old and used to get drugs from Goa.
"Someone told me that these drugs were from Goa," Mr Geldof had told reporters.
Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) President Fransisco de Braganza said that there was no need to take Mr Geldof's statement as a judgement on the current situation.
"It is secondary evidence. He never came to Goa. Somebody told him that those drugs came from Goa. The timeline is late 60s," Mr Braganza said, adding we are all aware that there was hippie culture in Goa at that time.
"It was a different world. It is not a statement which relates to the present period," he added.
In a letter to the Ireland Embassy in India at New Delhi and the Ireland Consulates in India and Indian Embassy in Ireland, the HJS demanded immediate action against Mr Gedolf for hurting Indian sentiments.
"A renowned musician, social activist, Noble Peace Prize nominee and a Knight, during his first visit to Goa made controversial statements like 'I knew Goa for its image of beautiful women, drugs and serene beaches, Goa gave me the best drugs and...Goa and Drugs were completely one thing'. His statements about Goa and India have hurt the national sentiments as this is defaming India at an international level and a national insult," the letter reads.
"We respect Irish culture and its co-relation with India. We have common fighting spirit against those who wants to rule us and try to destroy our culture. We are informing this to you as your citizen and a public figure is defaming the image of a nation and no true Indian will take it lightly," it read.