The outrageous statement by Union Tourism Minister G Kishen Reddy that the BJP government could officially unveil Goa as the nation’s ‘casino capital’ is in utter bad taste.
While in the Opposition the BJP had vociferously branded casinos as a “social evil” and had called them "dens of vice". While spearheading that agitation against casinos, the BJP had vowed to make sure that all casinos were thrown out of Goa. But in a dramatic U turn in March 2012 after coming to power, the BJP has gone all out to promote, shield and increase the number of casinos.
The BJP has fallen in passionate love with the casino brigade who are now getting the government’s abundant patronage and overwhelming support.
For the very dismal number of jobs created for Goans, the overall damage that is being inflicted on the State by casinos is irreversible.
While the government is making merry with the abundant moolah flowing from the casinos, Goa has sadly become the country’s gambling hub with the allied vices of prostitution and the narcotics trade also flourishing by the day while the crime rate is on a steep rise.
So to save our now tarnished State from further ruin the casinos must sink. And faster this happens it would be better for Goa and Goans.
