Parrikar seeks Pacheco's dismissal from ministry

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-06-25
MARGAO: The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar, on Wednesday demanded that the Tourism Minister, Mr Mickey Pacheco should be sacked as minister for being involved in the casino imbroglio as it is sending wrong signals to the people that gambling is good. He also demanded that Goans should be banned from gambling in casinos, and accused the government of taking casinos to the doorsteps of the people thereby denigrating the society.
Addressing a press conference in Margao on Wednesday evening, Mr Parrikar accused the government of proliferating casinos adding the government has failed to bring in a regulation during the last six months to regulate the operation of casinos. He also accused the government of colluding with casino representatives in thwarting High Court’s action against the casinos though most of the casinos don’t have valid permits, while three out of the eight are foreign registered.
He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party strongly opposes all forms of gambling. Further he said that there should be a complete ban on Goans visiting casinos, as history has proved that gambling leads to economic bankruptcy of the people. He suggested that only those earning above Rs 20 to 30 lakh a month should be allowed to gamble subject to proper permissions from the government, if it government wants to continue to earn revenue from the casinos. He said that the BJP will launch a massive agitation against casinos after the party completes its membership drive.
Mr Parrikar also alleged that the government is hand in glove with the casino lobby adding the present government has even issued licence to a casino on a holiday last year. He said that if the casinos can corrupt the government at the base, imagine what impact it will have on the people.
He said that the licences of the casinos who are illegally operating should be revoked while others should be removed after their licences expire. He also accused that the land casinos are operating illegally as they are not allowed to use table games. He said that as per the act, the land casinos can only have electronic machine slots, however as in the case of Mr Pacheco, it has come clear that the land casinos are operating illegally.
He said that if the government fails to take action, the people of the state will curse the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat and the Home Minister, Mr Ravi Naik in the next three years for overlooking the acts of the 5 MLAs propagating gambling.
Meanwhile, the BJP state president and North Goa Member of Parliament, Mr Shripad Naik on Wednesday said that the party will soon launch its membership drive to strengthen the party at the grass-root level. He said that the party will look to strengthen at the booth level and that the party workers will hold door-to-door campaign to strengthen the membership.
Further Mr Naik said that the party has around 1.12 lakh members across the state with around 50 per cent in South Goa and that the party will look to take its membership to 1.25 lakh and added that Mr Vinay Tendulkar has been appointed party head for South Goa.
Commenting on the party’s performance, he said that the BJP has not performed upto expectations and will look to correct where things have gone wrong. Also he said that
the party has already started preparing for the assembly election.