Congress wants Goa casinos closed on Gandhi Jayanti

"The BJP once opposed casinos and even threatened to throw them into the sea. Now they are the biggest supporters of casinos. Like bars, they must shut down casinos for a day as a mark of respect to Mahatma Gandhi and to prove their intent to throw casinos out of Goa," party spokesperson Aleixo Reginaldo said at a press conference here.

Goa, known as the mecca of nightlife tourism, has five offshore casinos and nearly a dozen onshore casinos and is emerging as the Las Vegas of India. Liquor vends, discos, pubs and all alcohol selling outlets in Goa, known for its liberal and cheap liquor regime, will be closed on account of Gandhi Jayanti, on Oct 2.

Curtorim MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco has dared chief minister Manohar Parrikar to keep the casinos shut at least on October 2—Gandhi Jayanti. "While opposition leader Parrikar had led a candlelight march to the jetty and declared war against casinos, after becoming chief minister of Goa, he has not only supported the proliferation of casinos but has given and rendered them all  the support possible," said Lourenco on Saturday.

He questioned the assurance that Parrikar had given in the assembly that the revenue earned from casinos would be used to set up a home for senior citizens and centres to attend Alzheimer's patients. "Neither a home for the aged nor any such treatment centres, have been established" said Lourenco.