PANJIM: Alleging that the BJP government might soon grant special status to the offshore casino industry, the Congress party has condemned the government’s decision of granting another seven months to the offshore casino vessels to move out of River Mandovi.
The State cabinet last week had given the offshore casino vessels till March 31, 2016 to move their vessels out of River Mandovi to a site identified by the government.
Addressing the media, Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar condemned the cabinet for its continuous U-turns on casino shifting. “It was in 2009, when BJP in opposition had raised its voice against the casino lobby, castigating the then ruling Congress. In 2011, Manohar Parrikar led BJP workers to hold a morcha in the city against casinos,” he said.
“But, since coming to power in 2012, all steps have been aimed at providing ample opportunity to the casino lobby to continue operating in River Mandovi,” Kawthankar alleged.
The Congress leader pointed out how the government illegally introduced the transfer of casino licenses concept to favour one casino (M V Horseshoe) and further brought the offshore casino operation under the Inland Waterways Act as against the Director General Shipping license.
In 2013, the government under Parrikar had resolved not to the renew license of offshore casinos that fail to move out of River Mandovi by December 2015.
