Feature
Shatrughan Sinha may quit BJP, likely to contest LS polls with different party
New Delhi: Disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on Wednesday indicated he may contest the next Lok Sabha election on a different party ticket, saying leaders like him were “unfairly treated” from the day the Modi government was formed.
Shatrughan Sinha’s comment that the BJP has been given “triple talaaq” by Rajasthan in the recent by-elections did not hit the right note with Babul Supriyo. But dismissing singer-turned-parliamentarian’s dissent, the veteran actor says humour is vital in politics.
Shatrughan had made the “triple talaaq” comment in his typical quipster’s style.
To that, Supriyo commented: “Shatrughan Sinha ji ko bolta hu aapko itni nafrat hai to kyun roz aake sansad mein baithte hain? Kyun aisi situation paida karte hain ki dusro ko bolna pade ‘khamosh’.”
“Dressing room ki baat wahin rehni chahiye. Aap teen talaq dijiye aur khud chhod dijiye BJP. (If you have so much hatred, why do you come to the parliament everyday? Why do you create a situation where people need to say ‘silence’ to you?… You give triple talaaq and leave the BJP.)”
Not one to take the put-down lying down, Shatrughan has said: “Babul abhi bachcha hai. Naya josh hai wafadaari dikhane ka (He is a child right now. He wants to show his loyalty). But his level of sycophancy is sickening.
“I’ve been in politics from before he was born. And I was part of the film industry from before he was even a thought. He should think about whom he’s telling to be ‘khamosh’ and why he’s doing it.
BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha indicates he may contest LS election on different party:
“I can understand his eagerness to please the powers-that-be. After all, he was given a ministerial portfolio, albeit a completely useless one, which he got on the basis of a mercy-petition case.
“He is like one of those upstarts on the sets of one of my films who tries to make his presence felt by waving and hand and jumping up and down when the camera rolls.”
Shatrughan said he was trying to inject humour into what he sees as a grim situation with his “triple talaaq” comment.
“First of all, Babul must understand that humour is an essential part of politics. If we don’t laugh about what is going on in the country, we will die crying.
“Secondly, what does he mean by dressing room conversation? Are we all naked and waiting to put on our clothes while Babul the Great gives us all a dressing-down in our dressing-room? And don’t forget, you’ve been going around looking for work in the same dressing rooms of showbiz, if that’s what you mean by ‘dressing room ki baat’.
“So next time before telling me to be ‘khamosh’, think about what you are saying before the nation tells you to be ‘khamosh’. People are hurt, wounded and betrayed. Politics of sycophancy won’t work.”
Supriyo chose to react by saying: “As a respected and a revered artist, it won’t be unfair to expect some decorum from Shatruji. He can’t continue to make provocative potshots at the top leadership and party you represent in the parliament.
“Though triple talaaq is illegal, I guess we will ‘qubool’ it should he decide to resign from the party. This is my strong personal view as a BJP loyalist and not as a minister.”
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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