Shillong, Sept 20: The organisation Hynniewtrep Youth Council today has sent letter to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mr. Conrad K. Sangma, to demand that the government should repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 and Rules made thereunder.
In the letter the HYC ha stated that they would like to remind you that when the State is under the siege due to a pandemic because of Covid-19, your Government for whatever reason best known to you and your Ministers, about such an urgent need to legalise Gambling activities in the State.
The organisation mention that the government has promulgated the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Ordinance, 2021 which later was regularised in the Legislative Assembly into the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021.
Later, on the 21st December, 2021, that is just Four (4) days before Christmas and when the people are in preparation for Christmas celebration, your Government notified the Meghalaya Regulation for Gaming Rules, 2021.
The HYC would like to also inform that the Taxation Department in the absence of the Cabinet approval have constituted the Departmental Search, Selection Committee, appointed the Chairman and Expert Member of the Gaming Commission, which is in contravention to Section 27 of the Act and Rule 14 of the Rules.
They have seen in the past few months, that the Religious groups, traditional institutions, Pressure groups, MLAs the MDCs from KHADC and even and Political Parties in the State have expressed reservations and objections to the aforesaid enactment and Rules on implementations of the Act and the ground that it effects the also will religious beliefs, societal values and further increased the crimes and other social evils like prostitutions, alcoholism, drug abuse and also effect the livelihood of the general public in the State as a whole.
As per the Statements of the Minister incharge Taxation Department on the Floor of the House during the just concluded Assembly Session, it is made known that the Government had already appointed the Chairman and One Member of the State Gaming Commission and the process of appointment of another Member is under active process and also three temporary licenses for Casinos had already been issued.
As per information received from the PlIO, Commissioner of Taxes, Shillong vide Letter No. CTA-26/2009/Pt-vI/58, dated Shillong, the 17th August, 2022, it is informed to us that the Taxation Department had constituted the Search/Selection Committee for the purpose of appointment of Chairman and other members of the Gaming Commission.
In the same reply by the PIO we came to know that the State Government i.e. Cabinet Meeting has never discussed or approved any such appointment of the Gaming Commission as per provisions of the Act and the Rules. We were also informed that till the month of August, 2022 the process of granting of licenses is actively being considered by the Depàrtment under the provisions of the Act and Rules.
The Reply provided is reproduced here as follows: “Processing as per provisions of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 and rules framed thereunder is on going” However, as per statement made by You on the Floor of the House that since the month of May, 2022, when you had met the religious Leaders, no further activities took place with regard to granting of activities.
But licences for gambling this very statement of yours is contradictory to the information provided to us by the PIO, Commissioner of Taxes, Shillong vide Letter No. CTA-26/2009/Pt-VI/58, dated we are Shillong, the 17th August, 2022, and now Even in a dilemma as to which statement is correct and whom to believe?.
The HYC also mention that the Chief Minister had clearly stated there is only a provision in the Rules Physical1 where a Licensee has to put a Statement in the entrance of the premises “that only Physical those persons shall be allowed physical entry into the premises who are or Driving License having valid voter ID Card or Aadhar card or Passport, bearing address outside of Meghalaya (Rule 18 (b](x)”.
The HYC said in the absence of any state machineries provision and prohibition, enforcing the said it is implementing the undoubtedly clear that the Licensee will not be provision in letter.
Even if the Chief Minister stated that Police will enforce the same then as is evident from day today reports about illegal trucks carrying coal openly plying on the road without any actions from the Police, illegal mining openly taking place in the state.
The HYC alleged of corruption activities have become a daily state of affairs, crime is increasing in the State in a rapid manner, UTPs and Convicts escaping from the Jail in front of Jail Guards and Police personnel, illegal drug trafficking is increasing with each day in the state, alleged vehicle scams and corruption even in the Police Department who are the law enforcing agency, etc.
The HYC would be lying to ourselves’ to think that the Meghalaya Police will take entry of persons into gambling areas so seriously and in fact this will only become and extra income earning activities for some “Bent Coppers”. Even when the aforesaid illegal activities cannot be checked or controlled by the State Machineries, so to depend on the Profit oriented agency, Gambling agency (Licensee).
To ensure that locals are not permitted to enter the physical premises keeping in mind that this agency will greatly benefit monetarily if locals take part in gambling activities, is next to impossible. We are of the opinion that even though locals may not be allowed to gamble but there is nothing in the Act or the Rules prohibiting locals to take part in other immoral activities like prostitutions, consumption of drugs and others in the premises which will be undoubtedly take place in such premises.
HYC does not buy into your statement that legalising gambling will increase the revenue generations of the State by Rs 500-600 Crores annually. The reason being that you have continuously contradictory statements in this regard from one day to another by stating initially that this will bring revenue of about Rs 8 to 10 crores annually (May, 2022) and then later you changed it Rs 500-600 crores annually (18th September, 2022) in multiple of times after several quarters had raised objections to the same.
The HYC are of the opinion that if the State Government can check the Revenue leakages as has been repeatedly pointed and flagged by the CAG Reports every year, the State Government can easilyy saved about Rs 1500-2000 Crores annually.
Thirdly, the State Government through its various Departments has time and again been accused of over- estimating or escalating or inflating the value of contracts for various works leading to the loss of the public money running into hundreds and thousands of crores annually.
Fourthly, the State Government is known for other spending public money on nonsense festivals like Cherry Blossoms and useless festivals which instead if this money is constructive spend for some activities like building roads, bridges, school social welfare buildings and gamble with scheme, then the State Government would not have needed to the future of the State by Meghalaya has other legalising Gambling activities.
Lastly, untapped potentials to generate revenue had from, which State, the have Chief some Minister, basic Deputy Chief Minister, Ministers and MLAs of the knowledge of economics, they could have easily figure it out and make our state self sufficient economically and for the given record, legalisation of gambling is not the one and only solution for revenue generation.
They are of the opinion that if the objective of your government is to ensure that local residents of the State are not allowed to gamble and also to regulate gambling in the State as House, the Chief Minister have stated on the floor of the then licensing’ is not an answer but Prohibition’ should be an answer.
The HYC term silly statements like gambling are already there in our state and hence cannot be stopped, only indicates the incapability of the present State Government and thus they are afraid that in future, which seem to be illegal activities unstoppable at the moment like crime against womenn and child.
Selling of drugs, prostitutions, corruption, etc will one day also be legalised under the Government will not be present regime and this attitude and mindset of Your tolerated and accepted by the people and if you think that you cannot control and stop crime which decriminalised compelled you to gambling activities in the State, then such a Government is not deserving to be governing the State at al1.
The HYC are where deeply concern about the future of the Youths in the State this Act has legalised even online gambling and betting. We are of the opinion that online gambling and betting websites should be blocked and banned in our state to ensure that our youths are not able to take part in such activities as the Act and the Rules have no provision in this regard.
The Rules, 2021 provides that a “Player” means a person participating in games of Skil or Games of Chance being conducted by a Licensee through website or through physical premises. The Rules only stipulates a responsibility on a Licensee to ensure that the Player is above 18 years of age and speaks of nothing when it comes to participation of local youths or resident of the State in online Gaming or betting.
That, the Act and the Rules provides for issuance of Temporary Licenses’ to a local organization for conducting gambling activities, in the guise of fund raising event’ in specified physical premises. Now, the question is, who will be participating in such Gambling activities and fund raising event organised by local organisations? Will the so-called highly worth tourists’ from other States of India or abroad comes to take part or will the locals be taking part in these activities.
The Act and the Rules are unclear about this aspect but they all krnow that only locals will be taking part in these activities and how come then your Government is stating that locals are not allowed to enter the physical premises for any gambling activities?. This clearly indicates the lack of clarity and the objectives of the legislation and the statements that locals are not allowed in these premises, is nothing but an attempt just to saved faces and save the Government from public ire.
As an organisationthey share the sentiments expressed by the various religious groups, traditional institutions, pressure groups, etc in the State and we demana that the State Government should Repeal the aforesaid Act and Rules immediately and also to stop wasting of public money in giving salary to the Chairman and other members of Gaming Commission by immediately removing them.
The Three Temporary licences already issued should immediately be scrapped by putting the Notice and order in this regard in the public domain. We also demandd from the Government to further further also strengthened the law relating to prohibition of gambling activities both online and offline in the State. The letter wa sign by the President Mr. Robertjuhe Kharjahrin and the General Secretary Mr. Roy Kupar Synrem of the HYC.
