No new offshore casino allowed, only licence renewed: Goa CM

Even as opposition parties condemned the Goa government's decision to "allow" fifth off- shore casino vessel, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said it was not a new casino, but only its licence has been renewed.
Deltin Caravela, a new casino mounted on a ship, has been anchored in river Mandovi since last few days after the State Home ministry renewed its licence.
Delta Corporation Ltd (DCL), which already runs off-shore casinos Deltin Royale and Deltin Jaqk, holds the licence for its third casino. Deltin acquired Caravela, Goa's first off-shore casino, and renamed it as Deltin Caravela.
Protests were seen near Panaji against the off-shore casino today. Independent legislator Rohan Khaunte and other residents, who staged a protest at Britona village, alongside river Mandovi, gave seven days deadline to the government to move the vessel.

Similar protest was also witnessed at Ribander village, where BJP's own corporator Rupesh Halarnkar agitated against his party-led government for allowing the casino.
However, talking to reporters, Parsekar said, "The fifth off-shore vessel is not a new casino. We have renewed their licence."

He said the vessel need not stay in river Mandovi, but can be anchored elsewhere in the state.
"We can't refuse to renew the licence. If we do that the investor (casino owner) will go to the court and stay our decision," the chief minister said.
Newly-formed Goa Forward party and Nationalist Congress party (NCP) in their statements opposed the new casino blaming the government of "patronising" the gambling industry.

"BJP government has now proved that they are saviours of the casino industry. We strongly oppose the new vessel in river Mandovi," NCP Goa President Jose Philip D'Souza said.
Goa Forward party accused BJP of "destroying" family tourism in Goa by supporting casinos.
"BJP government which promised that casinos would be removed from Mandovi has failed totally on its promise. They are permitting casinos of monstrous proportions in the lifeline of Goa," party's secretary Durgadas Kamat said.
"BJP is fooling the people of Goa by saying that they have reduced the number of casinos. Actually, BJP has done just the reverse and today Panaji looks as the capital of casinos," he alleged.