Team Herald
PANJIM: The Aam Aadmi Party realising that its ambivalent stand on casinos was not cutting ice with large sections of Goans, it has quickly recoiled and announced for the first time that it can “pull down the shutters of casinos in Goa”.
Very strangely there was not a word on AAP’s earlier statements on the issue, that the people of Goa should decide if casinos should be allowed and the more specific one on AAP conducting a public survey on the issue. There is no sign of the said survey, even though party spokesperson Ashutosh claimed that such a survey has taken place.
But a political decision has been taken knowing that viruses will be a blunder nor to denounce casinos.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a video message said AAP is the only party that can pull down the shutters on casinos in Goa.
In the “message” to Goan voters, Kejriwal said, “Everyone in Goa wants casinos to close shop. Both the BJP and the Congress could not do it because their leaders are tied up with the lobby. Only the AAP can stop casinos. It can stop Goan culture from getting ruined,” Kejriwal said in his virtual message. The video was later uploaded on Youtube.
He also urged voters to ignore the Congress claiming it was not a factor in the elections and that voting for the Congress would mean a split. An irony indeed since it is the AAP which has emerged as the main factor fir the split if anti -BJP votes.
Meanwhile, on Sunday at the same function, AAP’s spokesperson, Ashutosh, also reiterated that once voted to power, his party would close down the casinos and all those employed there would be financially rehabilited and re-employed.
“We are in the process of finalizing the draft manifesto for Goa in which casino closure is top priority and recently during the Goa dialogues; Aap has got enormous response from the people that casinos should be shut down and also in the recently concluded survey it was revealed that the people of Goa are fed up with casinos and the current government,” said AAP Spokesperson, Ashutosh.
AAP gas not made public the nature, process and the results of its claimed survey.
