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BJP will make Kashmir crown of India: Amit Shah
Srinagar: BJP president Amit Shah Thursday hit out at the Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir for its “slow” rehabilitation process after the September floods and alleged mismanagement of central relief funds, while promising his party would make the state the best in the country, if voted to power.
“Government of India provided Rs.1,700 crore special assistance to the state government for the rehabilitation of flood victims. But I want to ask Omar Abdullah where the money went. Wherever I have been in Kashmir, people have complained about inadequate response of the state government,” Shah said at an Bharatiya Janata Party poll rally here.
He said many states of the country have progressed but Kashmir has remained behind because of “family-run” parties.
“In 2014 parliamentary elections, BJP gave the slogan of ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ (Congress-free India), similarly in Jammu and Kashmir, we appeal to people to free themselves from regional National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party as Congress supports either of them to be in power.
“You have tested all of these parties in the last 60 years; they have given you nothing but poverty and unemployment. Trust (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji and we assure you will never be betrayed,” Shah said, calling on people to vote for change.
“If Jammu and Kashmir wants to be a part of the development mantra of Prime Minister Modi, people here should vote BJP to power. We will make Kashmir most progressive state of the country,” he said.
He, however, was quick to add that central government would continue to provide assistance to the state whosoever forms government in the state.
“Every year Rs.8,000-10,000 crore rupees as funds from the centre go to Jammu and Kashmir, but politicians here have been playing with emotions of people in the last six decades and have done nothing for the state,” he added.
He said some people are spreading fear among people about BJP’s plans.
“But let me tell you, we have no other ambition than providing better governance in the state and provide electricity to every home, and improve the infrastructure here. We will make Kashmir as crown of India.”
Shah said the BJP is not banking on Hind-Muslim divide but rather wants peace, development and better tourism related facilities in the state.
“For that when you will go to poll booths, press the lotus button (BJP’s poll symbol) so hard that its effect is felt everywhere.
“We (BJP) have a blueprint for the development of Jammu and Kashmir.. for it to be implemented we need to be in power here. You have given chance to everyone, now time has come that you give us one chance and we promise you won’t be cheated,” he said.
The BJP president was accompanied by party senior leaders and candidates it has fielded for Srinagar district which goes to poll Dec 14 in the fourt of the five-phase assembly elections.
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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