No issue provokes more contradiction in Goa than the so-called offshore casinos. These gambling boats, which came up around 1999, remain stubbornly moored in the Mandovi river, near Panaji, even though they바카라™ve been known to break laws. The people of India바카라™s smallest state are united in opposing them바카라”and every party that바카라™s not in power does so too. But all politicians, once elected, generally let them be.
The latest shocker has come from the BJP government of Goa. Former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, now the Union defence minister, calls casinos a 바카라śsocial evil바카라ť and 바카라śdens of vice바카라ť and on the campaign trail had promised to root them out. As chief minister, Parrikar had sworn his government would never need 바카라śbad money바카라ť from the casinos for development, and that those funds바카라”some Rs 135 crore was collected in taxes and duties바카라”would be kept separately and used only for homes for the aged. But now, Goa바카라™s present CM Laxmikant Parsekar, known to work under Parrikar바카라™s guidance, has reneged on the March 2014 promise, made in the state legislative assembly, that the casinos would be shifted out of the river when their licenses expired on August 29, 2015. Instead, a day ahead of the deadline, Parsekar made an executive decision to extend their licences, citing 바카라śrevenue flow바카라ť and 바카라śinvestor confidence바카라ť.
Goans feel betrayed, but not shocked. The steady subversion of the state바카라™s democratic process and the open collusion between its most powerful politicians has played out in full view of Goa바카라™s voters. It has escaped no one바카라™s attention that the biggest player in India바카라™s casino trade, Delta Corp바카라™s Jaidev Mody, had been prominently seated on stage at the swearing-in of Parrikar in 2012. Or that Parrikar has repeatedly defended his friendship with the gambling magnate.
Barely 20 days after sweeping into power with an unprecedented mandate that brought together all communities of Goa, the Parrikar-led government quietly cut the entry fees to casinos from Rs 2,000 to just Rs 500. While campaigning (and again last year), after incessant complaints from affected citizens, the BJP leadership had insisted it would implement its pledge that locals wouldn바카라™t be allowed in the casinos. The promise lies forgotten.
In 2014, the National Green Tribunal was petitioned about sewage pollution from the casinos and enjoined Goa바카라™s pollution control board to test the Mandovi river water. The findings were of 바카라śalarmingly high바카라ť faecal bacteria and other matter that is at levels harmful even for skin contact. Immediately, Parrikar had called a press conference, where the IIT graduate gave a dubious clean hit to the casinos, declaring the fatally contaminated Mandovi water 바카라śthe cleanest in the state바카라ť, even 바카라śsafe for drinking바카라ť.
Long-time observers of the global impact of casinos point out that Goa is at the inevitable point of no return, with a torrent of questionably sourced cash overwhelming the political system, as happened in Macau, Las Vegas and other corrupted gambling destinations. It is an industry based on financial irregularities바카라”both Delta Corp and Pride Group (the biggest gambling companies of India) have been raided by the income tax department over money-laundering and tax evasion.
So nobody was surprised when the Louis Berger bribery case, which landed former chief minister Churchill Alemao in jail (and threatens another former chief minister, Digamber Kamat, with the same), showed up a casino angle. Special public prosecutor G.D. Kirtani told the court that hawala trader Raychand Soni, who provided the money to pay the bribes, 바카라śfunds many casino gamblers in Goa. Casinos are running on his funds바카라ť. It was another alarming allegation that should result in a serious investigation, probably an immediate suspension of all casinos in Goa until the so-called 바카라śindustry바카라ť is thoroughly cleaned up and properly regulated. Will that happen? Don바카라™t bet on it.
By Vivek Menezes in Panaji
