Panaji, Oct 19 (IANS): Why are schools in Goa still closed, but casinos are allowed to start operations in the coastal state, the Youth Congress in Goa asked in a memorandum to Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai on Tuesday, demanding immediate cancellation of a poker tournament scheduled to commence in one of the offshore casinos on Wednesday.

Goa Youth Congress President Varad Mardolkar said that a poker tournament would create chaos in the state and may serve as a catalyst for the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"At a time when schools are not fully allowed to start functioning in the state, the government is allowing these casinos to organise tournaments of large magnitude, which may cause mass transmission of Covid as our state as well as our country has still not completely overcome the pandemic," Mardolkar said in the memorandum to the Governor.

"The Youth Congress appeals to you to direct the government authorities to immediately cancel this 'ORBIT' poker tournament to safeguard the interests of Goa and Goans as it is not in the interest of the state. The Youth Congress will not allow these casinos to play with the lives of innocent Goans by taking undue advantage of government's lethargy," he added.

Hosted by the Deltin Royale casino, the ORBIT-Poker Cash Festival has been billed as India's largest poker cash festival, which is scheduled to be held in Goa from October 20-24.