TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Once targeted for promoting land and off shore casinos in Goa, the Congress party on Tuesday demanded that the government suspend the Captain of Ports for allowing a vessel owned by Delta Corporation to anchor in the Mandovi River.
“He (Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar) is hand in gloves. His intentions are clear. There is huge corruption involved because the government intends to increase off shore casinos,” party spokesman Sudip Tamhankar alleged at a press conference Tuesday.
He was referring to Delta Corp’s request to the government seeking permission to replace its old Caravela vessel with a new one. Parrikar, in a press conference on Monday had said that no file had come to him regarding the matter.
Tamhankar questioned as to how the government didn’t know that a ‘big vessel’ had anchored in the River. “How can a big vessel just anchor? There is no word from the government on removing the vessel,” he said adding, “How can this vessel replace the other one despite the capacity, size and various factors varying from each other?”
With Captain of Ports Department not initiating any action, the spokesman demanded that Captain James Braganza be suspended.
“I am surprise the speed with which a jetty is being built near CoP. It is definitely to encourage more off shore casinos to Goa…government is on the pay roll of casino operators,” he alleged.
When asked whether the Congress supported or opposed casinos in Goa knowing that it had allowed some offshore casinos during its past regime, Tamhankar’s reply was, “At this moment we are against casinos. When you are in the Opposition, you have to oppose.”
