Token one-day hunger strike at Old Goa today
PHOTO BY NARAYAN
AAP against use of women in casino advertisements
Token one-day hunger strike at Old Goa today
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday said it would protest against the use of women in advertisements by casinos. Protesting their stand, the party has announced it would hold a one-day token hunger strike on Sunday as part of their celebration of Gandhi Jayanti at the Mahatma Gandhi Circle in Old Goa.
Speaking to media persons, AAP member Advocate Satish Sonak said it was derogatory to use women in advertisements of casinos encouraging people to gamble, adding that it would create a bad impression of the women in the State.
“There needs to be a surgical strike against casinos and to break the misconception that casinos are good for the State. There is an urgent need to regulate the casinos and their operations. It is also derogatory to use women in advertisements promoting casinos,” he said.
Sonak was referring to one particular billboard displayed on the NH17 road at Bambolim where the advertisement refers to a lady named Sabina as being the dealer. Sonak questioned the use of the name and ethnicity of the woman calling it defamation to all women in the State.
He added that there was a need for implementing certain laws and amending others. The central government’s Indecent Representation of Women’s Act 1986 prevented the indecent representation of women in a derogatory and bad light, and needed to be implemented in the State, he said.
“Secondly, the India Penal Code Section 294 (a) needs to be amended to make it an offence to advertise for a lottery other than a state lottery or a lottery authorized by the state government. If cigarettes can carry a warning sign, casinos should also carry a warning sign saying, ‘Casinos are injurious to public morality,’ said Sonak.
Party ad hoc State secretary Valmiki Naik questioned the government’s decision to shut casinos for a day, on account of Gandhi Jayanti but allow them to function for the rest of the year.
“On October 2, like minded individuals will gather together at the Old Goa circle and discuss the issue and how we can find a solution to it,” said Naik. The party also welcomed a new member to AAP Goa, teacher, author and poet Prakash Dattaram Naik.
