The House had earlier on Tuesday seen the opposition Congress demand an inquiry into allegations of foreigners engaging in sexual acts in public, as well as drug and alcohol abuse, at a three-day “rave party” organised by the state tourism department and others at St Mary’s Island near Mangalore.

Ministers Laxman Savadi and C C Patil claimed they were not watching explicit pornography but studying a video of what transpires at rave parties. Their colleague Krishna Palemar, who is from Mangalore region, had given them the video.

The furore over the ministers viewing pornography during a debate on drought conditions and employment eventually drowned the furore over the Spring Zouk Island Festival 2012 hosted between February 3 and 5 by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation with support of private event managers and sponsors.

The festival, part of a series of tourism promotion activities conceived by private event managers with the state government, ran into trouble after a video of two foreigners making out at the event surfaced. Soon after the video was aired on local channels this week, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, who is from the Mangalore region, said nothing wrong had transpired at the festival and errors, if any, would be corrected when the festival is held next year.

“We see states like Goa and Kerala attracting tourists and we want to promote tourism in coastal Karnataka which has a lot of untapped potential. It creates employment and other benefits. The music festival at the St Mary’s Island is a small effort in that direction,” he said initially. “From my understanding, I think there was nothing wrong. If there have been mistakes we will ensure they don’t happen next time.’’

As many as 2,500 people including nearly 900 foreigners are reported to have attended the festival.

The Congress, however, continued to attack the government. Even before the issue was raised in the Assembly Tuesday morning, Union Corporate Affairs Minister Veerappa Moily, who is from Mangalore as well, said the event should have promoted Indian culture. “There is no need to encourage western culture here. If it is western culture they want to experience, the tourists will not come here. They should also not break the law here.’’

On Tuesday, the issue was raised in the Assembly by Congress members. Following a discussion, the Chief Minister announced an inquiry into alleged acts of public indecency, alcohol and drug abuse, at the festival.