Panaji, Jul 24 (TOI): That offshore casinos are bringing in significant revenue for the state is no reason for Goa to promote gambling at the cost of the state's culture, said Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) president Anand Shirodkar, reacting to chief minister Manohar Parrikar's statement in the ongoing state assembly session.
"GSM will field a candidate against the CM in the Panaji bypoll. Out party's stance against casinos will be the main poll issue," Shirodkar said. He said that the CM continues to state that the Congress had brought in casinos during its tenure, but the fact remains that Parrikar's BJP government continued with the policy of allowing offshore casinos.
"Parrikar is talking about coming out with a casino policy this week. He had promised to move the casinos out of River Mandovi by 2015. Not only have the casinos not been not movedout, but the number of casinos in the river is only increasing," he said.