Feature
CM Yogi ordered NIA probe after explosive found in UP Assembly
Lucknow: In a major security loop poll, a very dangerous plastic explosive was found in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today informed the House, which unanimously recommended an NIA probe into it.
As soon as the House met this morning, the chief minister, who earlier chaired an emergency security meeting, informed that white powder was found wrapped in a paper close to the seat of the Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Choudhry.
The explosive was found by the cleaning staff on July 12. After the powder was sent for FSL examination, it was found to be a dangerous plastic explosive PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate), he said. The dog squad failed to detect the explosive.
“Initially it was thought that it was some powder or chemical but after FSL (Forensic Science Lab) report it was found to be PETN, which is high quality Hexogene and plastic explosive,” he said.
The quantity of the explosive was 150 grams. According to experts 500 gm of this explosive is enough to blow up the House, the chief minister said.
He further added the explosive was found under the bench, third from where the Leader of Opposition sits.
“The security of the House is our concern. This is part of a dangerous terrorist conspiracy and should be exposed. The state government wants to get an NIA probe done in the matter and police verification of employees and officials working in Vidhan Bhawan,” he said and urged the Speaker to take a decision.
Stressing that there should be no compromise on security, the chief minister said joint efforts were needed to ensure this. It is a “dangerous tendency that the security of the assembly has been breached when the House is in session,” he said.
“So far the government was worried about security outside the assembly, and now this has become a more serious matter,” he said and appealed to Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit to ensure police verification of the assembly staff because security of over 500 MLAs and MLCs was at stake.
Adityanath noted that it was not just a matter to be condemned by the House, but the need was to give a befitting reply. The Speaker then said, “We all agree for the NIA probe to be done in the recovery of explosives to expose the conspiracy behind this.”
The chief minister also said, “As no one is allowed inside the House except legislators and marshals, the matter becomes serious. The matter is related with sentiments of 22 crore people of the state. As we have no objections in checking at airports, we (legislators) should also support this here. I also ask them not to bring mobile phones and keep their bags outside the House and a system should be evolved for this.”
The CM also mentioned lack of coordination between security agencies and said there was no mechanism to counter terrorist attack, if any, in the House.
“There should be Quick Response Team (QRT) at every gate and there should be a uniform security system. We have decided to pass a resolution to condemn such an act. Some persons are up to doing mischievous acts and NIA should expose them”, he said.
The House passed a resolution recommending an NIA probe into it. Noting that the UP Assembly was the biggest in the country, Adityanath said the entire country keeps an eye on proceedings here with a hope to “see something new and good”.
No compromise will be made on the security of the assembly which has 503 members (including Legislative Council). A joint effort is needed for this. This is a dangerous tendency that security of assembly is breached when House is in session,” he said.
After the CMs statement, the Speaker announced several measures to ensure security of the House besides agreeing to recommend an NIA probe.
“We have met earlier (before the House assembled) and decided on several security measures to be introduced in the House. On all the gates QRT of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) will be deployed and whole body scanners will be installed. All the entry pases issued to MLAs and their representatives will be cancelled and only one vehicle pass will be issued to MLAs,” the Speaker said.
The driver of legislators will be verified and those having no pass will not be allowed entry inside assembly premises, he said. Passes issued to former MLAs and others will also be cancelled and police verification of assembly staff will be done, he said.
The Speaker also allowed an Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) team inside the House stating that “we are a family and no one will be allowed to raise a finger at it”.
Parliamentary Affairs minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said all measures, as directed by the Speaker, will be taken to ensure Vidhan Bhawans security.
The Leader of Opposition said they accepted the measures stating that no one should be allowed to breach security of the House.
BSP member Uma Shankar Singh said it was a matter of concern that despite having jammers, mobile phones used to ring inside the House.
Entertainment
Meghalaya Reserves Legalized Gambling and Sports Betting for Tourists
The State Scores Extra High on Gaming-Friendly Industry Index
Meghalaya scored 92.85 out of 100 possible points in a Gaming Industry Index and proved to be India’s most gaming-friendly state following its recent profound legislation changes over the field allowing land-based and online gaming, including games of chance, under a licensing regime.
The index by the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) uses a scale of 0 to 100 to measure the level of legalisation on gambling and betting achieved by a state based on the scores over a set of seven different games – lottery, horse racing, betting on sports, poker, rummy, casino and fantasy sports
Starting from February last year, Meghalaya became the third state in India’s northeast to legalise gambling and betting after Sikkim and Nagaland. After consultations with the UKIBC, the state proceeded with the adoption of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 and the nullification of the Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act, 1970. Subsequently in December, the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Rules, 2021 were notified and came into force.
All for the Tourists
The move to legalise and license various forms of offline and online betting and gambling in Meghalaya is aimed at boosting tourism and creating jobs, and altogether raising taxation revenues for the northeastern state. At the same time, the opportunities to bet and gamble legally will be reserved only for tourists and visitors.
“We came out with a Gaming Act and subsequently framed the Regulation of Gaming Rules, 2021. The government will accordingly issue licenses to operate games of skill and chance, both online and offline,” said James P. K. Sangma, Meghalaya State Law and Taxation Minister speaking in the capital city of Shillong. “But the legalized gambling and gaming will only be for tourists and not residents of Meghalaya,” he continued.
To be allowed to play, tourists and people visiting the state for work or business purposes will have to prove their non-resident status by presenting appropriate documents, in a process similar to a bank KYC (Know Your Customer) procedure.
Meghalaya Reaches Out to a Vast Market
With 140 millions of people in India estimated to bet regularly on sports, and a total of 370 million desi bettors around prominent sporting events, as per data from one of the latest reports by Esse N Videri, Meghalaya is set to reach out and take a piece of a vast market.
Estimates on the financial value of India’s sports betting market, combined across all types of offline channels and online sports and cricket predictions and betting platforms, speak about amounts between $130 and $150 billion (roughly between ₹9.7 and ₹11.5 lakh crore).
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Delhi are shown to deliver the highest number of bettors and Meghalaya can count on substantial tourists flow from their betting circles. The sports betting communities of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are also not to be underestimated.
Among the sports, cricket is most popular, registering 68 percent of the total bet count analyzed by Esse N Videri. Football takes second position with 11 percent of the bets, followed by betting on FIFA at 7 percent and on eCricket at 5 percent. The last position in the Top 5 of popular sports for betting in India is taken by tennis with 3 percent of the bet count.
Local Citizens will Still have Their Teer Betting
Meghalaya residents will still be permitted to participate in teer betting over arrow-shooting results. Teer is a traditional method of gambling, somewhat similar to a lottery draw, and held under the rules of the Meghalaya Regulation of the Game of Arrow Shooting and the Sale of Teer Tickets Act, 2018.
Teer includes bettors wagering on the number of arrows that reach the target which is placed about 50 meters away from a team of 20 archers positioned in a semicircle.
The archers shoot volleys of arrows at the target for ten minutes, and players place their bets choosing a number between 0 and 99 trying to guess the last two digits of the number of arrows that successfully pierce the target.
If, for example, the number of hits is 256, anyone who has bet on 56 wins an amount eight times bigger than their wager.