Mahua Moitra said she was surprised by the Union Tourism Minister's comment.
Trinamool Congress Party MP Mahua Moitra on Saturday said Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy's comment about Goa getting labeled as "casino capital" reflected the BJP's "mindset".
Addressing a press conference, Mr Reddy had said that the public had already tagged Goa as a casino capital.
"People of Goa like to have employment in a sector where they can have their heads up and their children have better life," the TMC leader said, reacting to Mr Reddy's remarks in a video message.
People do not want to be in a "land of casinos", she said, adding, "it is a poor choice of words and reflects poor mindset of the BJP."
Mr Reddy was her colleague in Parliament and a "very balanced person", but she was surprised by his comment, Ms Moitra added.
People go to different cities of the world for different things, "but I have never seen a government or the tourism minister want to give it that tag," she said.
The TMC MP further said some people would go to Bangkok to "do lot of things which they cannot do in their home town", but it does not mean that Government of Thailand will give Bangkok a particular tag.
"So there is certain line of propriety that has been lost here," the TMC MP added.
Mr Reddy, here to announce various tourism promotion initiatives, said earlier that people had already given the title of "casino capital" to the coastal state, and the government need not give it.
Replying to a query whether Goa would be tagged as ''casino capital of India'' by the government, he said, "Public is here (for casinos). They are either here or in Sikkim (in both the places casinos are allowed).
"If Goa benefits by declaring it as a casino capital, we can certainly do it," the minister said.