Anti-casino political posturing gains momentum

An anti-casino sentiment has gained momentum ahead of the crucial by-elections in the city of Panaji that are scheduled to be held on 19th May, to fill in the legislative assembly s✤eat lying vacant after the death of former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

After all major opposition political parties including , and (AAP) came out with promises to the Panaji electorate to remove offshore casinos from the River Mandovi, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance part🐬ner Goa Forward Party (GFP) also came up with a similar assurance yesterday.

BJP’s Goa Unit President and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar stated yesterday that afteᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚr their current term expires.

He further added that if people so 𒆙demand, even onshore casinos in ꧋the state’s five star hotels will be shut down.

“The party’s demand is that offshore casinos shou🧸ld be shut. If people don’t want onshore casinos, which function from five-star hotels, they too will be closed… We 🤪have been assured that the government is thinking about it and that if time comes, we will shut casinos,” Tendulkar is quoted to have said in his interaction with the press.

Not to be left out, BJP’s alliance partner Goa Forward Party also indicated that or employment to locals𝓡.

At this time, it remains to b🍌e seen whether the stand taken by major political parties amounts to anything more than political posturing on the eve of elections and whether there will be any change in the state government’s p♔olicy on casinos in the near future.