Opposition political parties have lashed out against the BJP-led coalition Government in Goa on Sunday, after a new offshore casino vessel, ‘MV lucky Seven’ ran aground at the popular Miramar beach, even as the Indian Coast Guard was forced to stage a dramatic rescue operation to rescue four sailors, who were injured after the vessel drifted out of control in the stormy seas.
While, State Tourism Minister, Manohar Azgaonkar, has promised to order a probe about how the casino vessel owned by former Haryana Minister of State for Home Gopal Kanda, ran aground, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress have accused the Manohar Parrikar-led dispensation of allowing yet another casino to function in the Mandovi river off Panaji, through the back door.
“Nature stopped unholy designs of the Goa Government to bring yet another casino into Goa... BJP played with the life of the crew onboard the casino vessel,” All India Congress Committee Secretary Girish Chodankar told The Pioneer.
Earlier on Sunday, in the wee hours, the aviation team of the Indian Coast Guard was forced into action after the casino vessel, drifted dangerously from where it was anchored at the Mormugao Port Trust, to the Miramar beach before hitting a sandbar injuring four sailors onboard the vessel.
With the waters too choppy for a lifeboat rescue, a helicopter was pressed into action by the ICG. “We managed to rescue four sailors in our rescue operation,” a spokesperson for the ICG told reporters.
The AAP has said, that the ruling BJP, which has been vehemently against offshore casinos, when in opposition were allowing yet another casino in the Mandovi river by the back-door.
“After promising to do away with casinos, the BJP-led coalition government has not introduced yet another casinos in the Mandovi,” Goa AAP convenor Elvis Gomes said at a media briefing in Panaji.