BJP defends Parrikar on offshore casinos' issue

The BJP has defended Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar over the issue of casinos, hailing him as "the leader who has vowed to phase out offshore casinos."
The state government has been drawing flak from various quarters over its "silence" on banning off shore casinos.
"The Chief Minister has made a statement that no new licences for the casinos would be given. He has also said that offshore casinos would be phased out during his tenure," BJP national vice president Smriti Irani told reporters here.
She was replying to a question on the alleged inaction of the state government on offshore casinos' issue.

Several organisations, including Aam Aurat Admi Against Gambling (AAAAG) and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS), have questioned Parrikar's seriousness to discourage gambling through offshore casinos.
AAAAG has warned to stage protests tomorrow, on the occasion of Goa statehood day, against the offshore casinos.

"The state government is extremely vocal about its stand against the offshore casinos. He (Parrikar) has told that no new licences would be given," Irani told reporters.
Goa has five offshore casino vessels anchored in Mandovi river and Parrikar had said on Monday that there was no need to doubt the government's intention to remove them.
"When you were in the Opposition you demanded that Digambar Kamat (then Chief Minister) move out the casinos. Now you are in power and with full majority," HJS said in its letter to the Chief Minister yesterday.

"The matter of shifting casino vessels is sub judice, but we were hopeful that after coming to power, by overcoming all hurdles including legal, by now the casinos would have been driven out of Goa," the letter stated.
"But over this period you have asked for time to remove casinos and nothing concrete has happened in this regard," HJS further said in the letter.