Casinos are now 'fait accompli' of Goa govt: Parrikar

In a major reversal of stand on the casino industry, Union Defence Minister and former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today said the industry cannot be disturbed as they are the "fait accompli" of the BJP-led state government.
Addressing a group of core party workers in Panaji today in the presence of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, he said the party had opposed the casinos in the 2007, but Congress government gave six licences.
"We had opposed casinos in the year 2007, but Congress gave six licences and made casinos fait accompli of the government that we formed in the year 2012," Parrikar said.

"When someone invests in the business and if we stop the business then investment don't come," he said referring to the investment in casinos.
Parrikar further said that some things which are unacceptable at particular time, becomes acceptable with the time.
"In 1997, we were opposing Tata Estate (vehicle planned to be purchased for ministers). But now we don't oppose even Innova...The situations do change," he said.
Goa has six offshore casino vessels and dozen of onshore ones, which are operating in five star hotel premises.
The Congress has demanded that an opinion poll should be held on the issue of casinos in the state.