Team Herald

PANJIM: The Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) on Sunday said that it would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the BJP-led government’s dubious policy of promoting offshore casinos against the public interest. 

Addressing media persons, GSM members have set ten-day ultimatum to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to withdraw his “controversial” statement that casinos are an important part of tourism and their importance cannot be undermined, failing which has threatened to launch State-wide agitation against government. 

Condemning his statement, GSM also sought Sawant’s public apology for his false statement that his government never said that they will weed out casinos from the State. 

GSM founder Subhash Velingkar said the people of Goa have not elected Sawant-led government to grant protection to casinos and to destroy the cultural and social values of the State. 

“We give ten days ultimatum to Sawant and his government to withdraw the controversial statement and to also tender a public apology. If CM fails to do so, we will launch an intense agitation State-wide against government and its anti-people and pro-casino polices,” he said. 

Velingkar charged that BJP leaders take ‘hafta’ from casino lobbies and closure of casino industry will amount to no ‘pocket money’.  

 “We will write to the Prime Minister informing him about BJP Goa’s act of promoting and protecting casino mafia. We will seek his intervention and will request to pull up his party-led government for working against the interest of public,” Velingkar, former RSS leader, said. 

During his recent media interaction, Chief Minister had said that the casinos are an important part of the tourism profile and government just cannot write them off. He had also said that his party-led government had never promised to remove or stop casinos from the State as they are important for the tourism sector.

GSM president Atmaram Gaonkar accused the government of promoting Panjim as a ‘gambling den’ to the tourists visiting the capital city. “As one welcomes the capital city, you are welcomed by casinos. Government has promoted Panjim as gambling den. Casinos, prostitution and drugs have become Goa’s identity,” he charged. 

 The GSM also sought to know from the government whether it intends to give more licences to offshore casinos to ply in River Mandovi. The party also demanded to know by when the Gaming Commission would be appointed as the promise for the same was made in 2012.