Feature
Sufi ideology integral part of Indian ethos: Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the ideology propounded by Sufi saints is an integral part of Indian ethos, and has contributed significantly to the creation of a pluralistic, multi-cultural society in the country.
The remarks came during a meeting with a delegation of 40 Barelvi Sufi scholars.
According to an official statement, the prime minister said that forces of extremism are attempting to weaken the Sufi ideology today and it is essential for Sufi saints and scholars to counter these forces through various avenues including on social media, so that the ideology of extremism does not take root in India.
“The prime minister said that the tradition of Sufism has kept evil at bay, wherever it has continued to flourish,” said the statement.
Modi also exhorted the Muslim community in India to take maximum advantage of the skill development schemes and programmes being initiated by the central government.
He also assured the delegation that issues of Waqf property raised by the members would be looked into. He said Sufi culture and music should be suitably promoted in each State.
Earlier, during the course of their interaction with the prime minister, members of the delegation stated that Islam does not preach hatred or extremism.
“Expressing concern that certain forces do not wish the Muslim community of India to keep good relations with the prime minister, they said that so far, the divisive politics of vote-banks has resulted in the Muslim community interacting with the government only through intermediaries; but now they want the prime minister to establish direct contact with the people of India, including the Muslims,” the statement said.
The delegation urged the prime minister to work towards development of people which is irrespective of caste, community or religion, it added.
The delegation members said that the spread of terrorism in the name of Islam represents a danger to peace all over the world, and there is urgent need to take action to marginalize the forces which are promoting “Jihad” for social, economic or political considerations.
They added that there is need to spread awareness among the Muslim community that organizations such as the ISIS and Al Qaeda do not represent the path of Islam.
The statement added that the delegation members also gave several suggestions for the promotion of Sufi thought and culture in India. They suggested the creation of a “Sufi circuit” to promote tourism, and steps for the rejuvenation of Sufi shrines and sites in India.
The delegation members included Hazrat Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichhowchhwi, president and founder of the All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB), Hazrat Syed Jalaluddin Ashraf, chairman, Makhdoom Ashraf Mission, Kolkata, Hazrat Syed Ahmed Nizami, ‘sajjada nashin’, Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, New Delhi, Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed Musliar, general secretary, All India Muslim Scholars Association, Hazrat Syed Mehndi Chishty, functionary of the Dargah-e-Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty, Ajmer Sharif and Nesar Ahmed, educationist.
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.
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