“Check the dates”
The insults continue to fly between political parties ahead of elections in the Indian state of Goa. The Congress Party recently attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for failing to uphold its campaign pledge to do away with casinos, both on land and in the Mandovi River.
Now Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar has fired back, pointing out that offshore casinos were licensed in 2007, when the Congress Party was in power. According to the Business Standard, Parrikar challenged the Congress to “check the dates.”
“The licenses are given in 2007,” he said. “Whose government was there? Fact is a fact. That cannot be altered. In fact, we reduced the number.”
Asked why the BJP has not do away with casino boats on the Mandovi, as it promised in 2012, Parrikar said, “The government decided to move them from Mandovi. But the solution to where to place them was not found. Once this solution arrives, we will be able to move them from Mandovi.” The BJP has also said lost revenue from a ban on mining forced the government to allow casinos to remain.
Goa has five offshore casinos in the Mandovi River off Panaji and 10 to 12 onshore casinos operating from high-end coastal resorts. The Aam Aadmi Party promised to ban both onshore and offshore casinos operating in the state, while the Congress has promised to ban only offshore casinos to start.
“Floating casinos in Goa’s river will be closed permanently,” said Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia in Panaji.
“Those on the shore too will be closed at a later stage,” Goa Congress Chief Luizinho Faleiro later told reporters.
The Goa Suraksha Manch Party also has promised to shut down casinos if it wins the election. “We will try to promote proper tourism through which the government will generate revenue,” said GSM General Secretary, Hridaynath Shirodkar. Each of the competing parties says it is opposed to casinos because they “degenerate Goan culture,” reported NDTV.com.
