Feature
Shiv Sena predicts BJP to face ‘demonetization-like’ jolt in 2019 LS Polls
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Thursday predicted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will get a ‘demonetization-like’ shock in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
It said that winds of changed in favour of the opposition alliance were blowing in almost all the states and that people had “made up their minds since one-and-half years” to give a big jolt to the BJP.
“A major obstacle has come up on the ‘Delhi route’, via Uttar Pradesh with the coalition of the Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party. There are similar reports emerging from Bihar where Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal are forging alliances with other parties. There are strong signals of change of power at the Centre,” the Sena said.
Political pundits are already speculating that in the next parliamentary elections, the tally in Uttar Pradesh may be reversed compared to 2014 when the BJP swept with 71 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats.
“For now, the bouquet of ‘jumlas’ (falsehoods) has now wilted. The last resort is to create caste divisions and polarization,” the Sena said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece ‘Dopahar Ka Saamana’.
After 2019 LS Polls BJP will get ‘demonetization-like’ shocks predicts Shiv Sena:
Disillusionment with the BJP was now evident in every state and when people demand answers to past promises, the best option was to confound them in caste politics.
The rulers (BJP) seem to have realized this and have already launched their poll campaign, it said.
“In normal circumstances, such haste has never been witnessed ever when the government and its head have plunged into full-fledged canvassing almost a year before the elections.”
“Now, the masses feel that in order to strengthen democracy, the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers must keep away from the poll campaign arena on moral grounds. The people have elected you to do their work, not carry out your party’s duties. The people who feel cheated know too well how to teach them a lesson, similar to the ‘demonetization’ bombshell,” the Sena warned.
The editorial said there was growing unrest in all parts of the country including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
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.