Cong suspects terror links of 'Horseshoe' casino
ARVIND TENGSE, MADGAO | 20 July 2013 17:29 IST
The opposition Congress has alleged that the Horseshoe casino boat is spying over India and may have a terrorist link.
Congress spokesperson and MLA Aleixo Reginald Lourenco, at a press conference held in Margao, in fact demanded that its activities be probed by the RAW, IB and NIO.
He even went to the extent of alleging that foreign flagship may have terror links with Laskher e Toiba, Jaishe e Mohammad and Pakistani Mujahideens.
He strongly objected to the Horseshow casino being anchored in river Mandovi, without proper registration documents, including fitness certificate and inward clearance.
Horseshoe, which has been anchored in river Mandovi since 23 May, is being brought to replace a casino boat but has not been granted permission for casino till date.
Lourenco said the Captain of Ports, when applied under Right to Information, has not given them the fitness certificate issued to the casino boat.
Similarly, he said the Public Information Officer, instead of producing Inward Clearance certificate, has given them a copy of the application asking for the Inward Clearance.
It is thus not known whether the inward clearance has been granted to the boat.
He also said that the Captain of Ports has given them certified copy of Registration Certificate, which has already expired.
This information, said Lourenco, was given to him on 25 June.
All such certificates are important for safety of passengers and the crew, safety in the water as well as other safety measures like discharging sewage, garbage, oil etc, he observed.
How could such a boat be anchored in River Mandovi without proper documents and clearance certificates from the proper authorities!
The very fact that the boat is in River Mandovi without proper authorisations shows that somebody in authority is trying to protect the interest of the owners of this boat.