Team Herald
MARGAO: Pointing out that the government has permitted the 9th onshore casino at a starred hotel on Kadamba plateau, Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said the BJP is submissive to the casino industry because it finances the party not only locally but also nationally.
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The permission to operate four roulette tables, 17 electronic card games in 300 sq mts of the hotel that will have 29 tables was granted just on the eve of the code of conduct for Zilla Panchayat elections coming in force.
He pointed out that, while in opposition, the BJP had objected to casinos and late Manohar Parrikar in August 2012, on the floor of the House, had claimed that casino money is “curse money”.
He said that the BJP since assuming power in Goa has only been making false promises like shifting the offshore casinos from Mandovi River and establishing the Gaming Commission that has not happened till date even after 8 years.
“Thanks to the BJP policy that Goa is flooded with casinos as there are nine onshore casinos and six offshore casinos in Goa,” he said and asked the government to learn from Karnataka which is ruled by the BJP and which has ruled out opening casinos in their State.
Reginaldo pointed out that other States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and even Gujarat do not have gambling as the mainstay of their tourism policy.
