Protests have erupted over Goa MLA Atanasio Monserrate's as-yet-unfulfilled promise to remove casino vessels within 100 days of coming to office. It has now been 99th day after the election and none of the vessels have been removed. The floating casinos now lie anchored at River Mandovi along the coast of Goa city Panaji. MLA Monserrate earlier worked for the Congress, before changing sides and integrating into BJP. 

To Float Or Not To Float?

Valmiki Naik, who led the protest against the casino ships, allegedly accused Monserrate of never fulfilling his promise and demanded the removal of casinos altogether. As per a news publication, Valmiki Naik stated that Monserrate's promise was all for naught.

“Babush Monserrate’s promise for 100 days was a joke. Even if he were to fulfill it, it would not make a difference. When you want to clean the house, you do not take the garbage from one room to the next. We want them out of Goa, not shifted from the river,” Naik said.

Read: Will Consider BJP's Request To Shut Off-shore Casinos: Pramod Sawant

The MLA Defends

However, Goa BJP MLA Atanasio Monserrate defended his actions, stating that any promises made will not be broken.

“As far as the casinos are concerned, I am out to remove them from Panjim. I stand by my promises. My promises are meant to be kept, not to be broken,” Monserrate said, as per reports, when reminded about his promise.

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Goa Chief Minister's Promise

The Congress, as well as the BJP, had protested and promised removal of such vessels, however, both failed to fulfill their promise when in power. A few months earlier, the new Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had promised to ban all of India's people from entering casinos. Recently in June, the Chief Minister had claimed that casinos are important of tourism and hence, cannot be written off.

Read: 'Casinos Important For Tourism Profile Of Goa And Cannot Be Written Off', Says CM Pramod Sawant

Addressing a press conference, he said he would ban all of the country's people from access to casinos. The CM was questioned over denying access to 'every Indian citizen', to which he replied that BJP believes in 'Akhand Bharat' rule, a 'one Nation, one Law' and only banning Goans won't be healthy for well being of his fellow countrymen. In August last year, the then Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar had promised that only tourists will be allowed in casinos from January this year.

Read: Ex-Goa CM Churchill Alemao Discriminates Against Women, Says 'they're Delicate, Can't Work Night Shifts'