Panaji, Feb 10 (IANS): The BJP government in Goa came under attack from the opposition on Friday after the Consulate General of Japan in Mumbai issued a warning for Japanese tourists visiting the Anjuna beach in North Goa.

"If you are contacted by a stranger in a foreign country, please be careful not to easily trust them as they may be suspicious of fraud. In the vicinity of Anjuna Beach in Goa, multiple people colluded and accused travellers of possessing drugs such as marijuana, termed them criminals, and robbed them of cash, smart phones, credit cards, etc. If you are approached by a stranger at your travel destination, be suspicious of them as scammers and avoid joining them," the advisory issued in Japanese on February 7 stated.

It also said that there have been incidents of fraud and robbery in which Japanese tourists were victims near the Anjuna beach in Goa.

"Due to the relaxation of immigration restrictions after the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people travelling overseas is increasing, and as a result, the activities of criminal groups targeting the travellers may be increasing, so please be careful," the advisory added.

Reacting to this, Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai said that it is a slap in the face of the bombastic claims made by the BJP government.

"It is unprecedented that a foreign government has to warn its citizens against tourism in Goa. The only competence Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his ministers have is to make nonsensical claims while Goa's image gets trashed all over the world," Sardesai said.

AAP Goa unit chief Amit Palekar told IANS that it shows complete failure of law and order in Goa and distrust of tourists in the assurance of the government about their safety.

"Instead of starting new projects for creating avenues of corruption, the tourism department and the government of Goa should strive to make tourists feel safe in the state first," Palekar said.

However, North Goa Superintendent of Police, Nidhin Valsan, said that there have been no incidents of crime targeting Japanese tourists near the Anjuna beach.

"The Japanese Consulate General in Mumbai has not communicated anything to Goa Police in this regard," he said.