Why Casinos blessed, asks Aires
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 31 May 2013 16:08 IST
Aires Rodrigues has accused Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of going out of the way to shower blessings and support the Casino industry.
He feels allowing Horseshow casino in river Mandovi is Parrikar’s new found love for casinos.
Terming it as yet another U turn of Parrikar, Rodrigues reminds him about his statements before coming to power that he does not need revenue from casinos for Goa’s development.
The social activist also alleges that Jayadev Modi, owner of the new casino boat, was prominently seated at the swearing in ceremony of Parrikar held on 9 March last year at Campal.
Rodrigues has stated that the Chief Minister while branding the revenue from Casinos as “bad” money had declared that the revenue from Casinos would be kept in a separate account and utilized only on homes for the aged and those suffering from Alzheimer's, etc.
He also quotes Parrikar as "we don't want to use that money to buy computers for students. We don’t need that money in the budget”
Over nine months have elapsed since that assurance by the chief minister, but no such separate account as promised has been set up till date to take stock of that Casino revenue, states Rodrigues.
Referring to Parrikar’s statement that he would throw all the casinos out by end of his term, Rodrigues asks whether it means that he would milk all the casinos during his whole term.
