Panaji, June 29 (IANS): The tourism of sex, drugs and gambling in Goa is backed by political patronage and is defaming Goa, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday.

He was speaking at an interaction with small hoteliers and tourism industry stakeholders in the coastal state.

"Tourism in Goa is being defamed because of allegations of sex, drugs and prostitution... It is not being stopped because political parties are backing these things," Kejriwal said, also criticizing the Goa government for promoting gambling.

He was speaking at the second meeting of 'Goa Dialogues', a preparatory process for drafting the Aam Aadmi Party's election manifesto for assembly polls scheduled in early 2017.

"People come to Goa for tourism, for its culture, villages, beauty. Goa is a beautiful place. They come to see beaches of Goa. 

"There is a small section of people who want to come for sex, drugs and gambling. But Goa has been defamed because of this," Kejriwal said.

"If the government really wants, the business of sex, drugs and gambling cannot survive for even a minute. But the government wants it to happen. The government ensures that these businesses run.

"There is huge political patronage, whether it is BJP or whether it is Congress, whichever comes to power, they gave it political patronage, because the bribes reach right to the top," the AAP leader said.