BJP demands apology from Kejriwal for 'insulting' Goans

The BJP's Goa unit on Monday demanded that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should apologisefor reportedly saying that the western state is known for sex, drugs and casinos.

State Bharatiya Janata Party president Vinay Tendulkar also warned that candidates of Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party would lose their election deposit in all 40 constituencies, should the party consider contesting the upcoming state legislative assembly polls.

"The Delhi chief minister during the AAP rally on Sunday said that Goa is known for sex, drugs and casinos. Kejriwal should apologise to the people of Goa... He has come to Goa and insulted Goans. He should apologise to Goans or he should be ready to face consequences, which will be bad," Tendulkar told a press conference at the BJP state headquarters here.

When reporters tried to point out that Kejriwal on Sunday, had in fact said in his public address that drugs, sex and casinos was how the BJP-led coalition government perceives tourism in Goa, Tendulkar remained adamant. "No. He has insulted Goa," he said.

Tendulkar however conceded that his party government could not succeed to shift casinos and do away with the casino industry as promised in their 2012 poll manifesto.

The issue of relocation of casinos, majority of which were permitted by the previous Congress-led coalition government, has been a major political issue for the last decade, with both the Congress as well as the BJP accusing each other of pandering to the powerful casino lobby.

--IANS

maya/vd