BJP President Vinay Tendulkar Seeks Apology From AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal For Calling Goa ‘Sex, Drugs & Casinos’ State

Arvind Kejriwal
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  • PG News May 25, 2016
  • 2 Minutes Read

News broke yesterday in the Financial Express, of Vinay Tendulkar (Party President – Goa BJP unit) demanding an apology from Arvind Kejriwal (cover image), Delhi Chief Minister for reportedly stating that Goa was famous only ‘for sex, drugs and casinos.’

Even as the BJP-led state government continues to face flak for not fulfilling its pre-2012 election manifesto, the time has come for parties to prepare for the upcoming 2017 elections.

A few days back, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had announced its intentions to contest the Goa elections for the first time and has been mobilizing its resources in the state to fight the firmly ensconced BJP and opposition Congress parties.

Kejriwal, National Convener of the AAP made the alleged remark at a rally to this end on May 22.

In response, Tendulkar further stated that if the AAP planned to contest in Goa, its candidates would lose their election deposits in all the 40 constituencies.

An angry Tendulkar told the press that, “The Delhi chief minister during the AAP rally on Sunday said that Goa is known for sex, drugs and casinos. Kejriwal should apologise to the people of Goa… He has come to Goa and insulted Goans. He should apologise to Goans or he should be ready to face consequences, which will be bad.”

Reporters tried explaining that Kejriwal had only said that ‘people perceived the BJP-led coalition in Goa to be an administration of drugs, sex and casinos.’ However, Tendulkar refused to listen and added that, “No. He has insulted Goa.”

Tendulkar did concede however, that his party had been unable to fulfill its 2012 pre-election promise of shifting the casinos from the River Mandovi. First brought in by the Congress, the shifting of the casinos has been a source of great embarrassment for the BJP, which has been unable to do so to date. Trying to walk a thin line in between placating the masses, the opposition and the casino industry, which brings in much needed revenues, the BJP has been swinging in its statements.

On one hand, a law has been drawn up to appoint a Gaming Commissioner and ban locals from frequenting casino gaming areas. The state government also had identified four alternate locations for the offshore casinos, but these were vetoed by the Congress, local NGOS and fishing bodies.

On the other hand, it is well known that Laxmikant Parsekar has declared that shifting the casinos would be a blow to investors and would hurt the economy.

Echoing his party’s stand on the last, Tendulkar told the press, “If we move offshore casinos arbitrarily or terminate their operations, it will damage (prospective) investors’ confidence in the government.”

Tendulkar further added, “You give us an alternative location, we will shift the offshore casinos,” firmly putting the onus on the locals and Congress for the debacle.

Whether the BJP will be able to successfully juggle the issue and placate all parties before the next elections, is now a point that will certainly decide its fate in Goa.

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