Yet another controversial decision of the Laxmikant Parsekar-led government on the off-shore casinos, barely few months ahead of the State Assembly election, has not shocked the anti-casino lobby this time. Social activists, as well as the Opposition claim they are now certain the coalition government is funded by the casino operators.
“The government is ending its term by backtracking on its own 2012 election commitment to shift the casino vessels out of River Mandovi. But they have taken all of us (Goans) for a ride. The government has accepted huge bribes from casino operators to ensure the business survives,” NGO Bailancho Saad Convener Sabina Martins expressed.
The organisation that caters to issues concerning women has received hundreds of cases where families are ruined as a result of casinos. Instances of losing money, shelter and lives of compulsive-addicted casino gamblers is common in Goa.
“Many families have gone bankrupt and women, who try to stop their husbands from visiting casinos, are subjected to domestic violence. The casino industry has ruined the families, education and peace,” she alleged.
The Aam Admi Aurat Against Gambling (AAAAG) has sarcastically asked the BJP that its manifesto for the ensuing Assembly elections should commit that casinos are definitely here to stay in Goa. “The casino industry is pouring money on the government, which is why the latter does not want to shift the vessels to any other place. They in fact have no intention to throw out casinos from Goa. Their manifesto for 2017 elections should speak of promoting the casinos,” he commented.
The activists, who have been working tirelessly to get rid of the “menace,” have also slammed the ‘money-hungry government’ for acting as ‘pimps.’
“The politicians are pimps living on prostituting Goa through the casinos. They do not realize how many addicts it has generated and added in last so many years. They only want to control over this industry for themselves,” Martins said.
The Congress party has not left the opportunity go to take a dig at the U-turn-tagged government’s latest cabinet decision.
“BJP has back stabbed all Goans specially those who stood in support of their movement against casinos before the last assembly elections. It has crossed yet another milestone of shameless U-turn on its own promise with this decision, which bolsters our belief and claim that the government is run by the casino lobby,” party general secretary Sunil Kawthankar commented.
The government unarguably entangled in the web over the contentious issue, on the next day pushed the saffron party to do the damage control by trying to convince the people that it hasn’t forgotten its so-called promise. State BJP general secretary Damodar Naik defended that the decision was due to administrative and technical difficulties.
Locals now remind the government that it had dethroned the Congress through its various promises, most of which has witnessed U-turns in the last four years. “Be it Medium of Instruction or casinos or Regional Plan, the BJP has backstabbed the people of Goa who reposed their faith in the party. The government is flooded with silly excuses to justify decisions on crucial subjects… With what face will they seek votes in the forthcoming coming elections?” student-cum-social activist Vinod Parvatkar said.
A year after taking over the reins of the State, the then CM Manohar Parrikar had told the Legislative Assembly that government had obtained undertakings from all off shore casinos anchored in River Mandovi to move to another location by 2015-end, failing which their licenses would not be renewed. However, since the State has witnessed only ‘tariq pe tariq’ with the present CM expressing in public that casino business brought revenue to the State. His statement that government cannot hold back licenses of the operators without valid reason also drew the ire of people.
