Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has hit out at Governor RN Ravi over the delay in according assent to the Bill to ban online gambling and regulate online gaming in the state.
The state assembly had approved an Ordinance for ban after an expert committee recommended the action to prevent the ill-effects of the games such as suicides and debt traps among youngsters.
The Bill needed the assent of the Governor to be enforced in the state. However, the ensuing back and forth between Raj Bhavan and the government has frustrated Stalin’s plans to have online gambling abolished.
Citing the number of suicides in the state in the last one week, Stalin questioned if the Governor was aware of them.
“How many more suicides are needed for the Governor to sign the Bill banning online gambling? The Madras High Court had directed the government to enact a legislation to ban online gaming but the Governor has insulted the state assembly that passed the Bill. It is still a mystery as to why the Governor who signed an Ordinance banning online games is still sitting on the Bill,” Stalin said.
He also lashed out at the BJP-led Centre for promoting online games in Union Budget 2022-23. “The Union Budget has proposed TDS and tax on net winnings in online games. Instead of banning online games, the Union government is recognising them,” he said.
The Opposition parties, however, blamed Stalin for the delay in the Governor’s decision.
With inputs from News18