For Racist Slur, Apology With Bizarre Add-On From Goa Chief Minister

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar offered an apology and a baffling explanation today after a racist slur was used to describe an African national in an official document submitted in the state legislature.

The use of the "n" word in a document about a police case and the main suspect was raised by the opposition Congress.

The word was used by a clerk, said the Chief Minister and BJP leader. "I can't go through every word, if someone is hurt, I apologize."

Mr Parrikar would have done well to have quit the controversy while he was behind. But he made it considerably worse with this caveat: "The word has two meanings. One is when it used in a derogatory sense.  But it is also the name of a river in the Amazon."

The Congress said that the BJP government's mistake has tarnished the image of the state as a popular beach destination.

"A circular needs to be sent to departments asking them to refrain from making such racist remarks. We are a tourist state and such words send negative signals to international tourists," Congress spokesperson Durgadas Kamat said.