Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
RTI activist Disparsing Rani, on October 25, expressed his disagreement with the protests being carried out against casinos in the state, saying that such high profile gambling rakes in huge revenue which benefits the state.
“Probably 99 per cent agree with HITO but I do not agree with HITO’s protest towards casinos in the state. Casino is high profile gambling and for us (Khasis) we have fete, mobile gaming, khruk-khruk, bull fight, fishing competition,” he said while addressing a press conference.
With 2023 polls coming up, he has urged the next government that comes in power to legislate a law on casinos.
He said that people with a bank account of Rs 1 crore can play in casinos and the tax is very high. He said that for some Khasis even shelling Rs 1000 for the Cherry Blossom festival is very hard.
He added, “If the government can do a favour for the Churches by providing road connectivity before a Church gathering, the question is why you are jealous when the government makes an attempt to bring in revenue.”
Rani said that Meghalaya is the only state in the North East which is the center of tourism activities, if NOC from Marwet is received then people from Assam can gamble in casinos and bring in money to the state.
In India there are two states that have casinos, Sikkim and Goa. Rani said that as per the report, the collection from casinos is very high and pointed out that people in Sikkim is a rich state even though it lacks resources unlike Meghalaya.
Rani said that people visit their casinos to refresh their mind and it is not only about earning profits.
“When we go there, we want to earn something, 80 per cent of the Khasis think that gambling is profit. The high profile people go there to refresh their mind. They are not sad if they lose,” he said.
High profile gambling like casinos is one of the ways that the state can bring in revenue as tourism will generate employment in the days to come.
He stated, “If gambling is regulated, then other gambling activities such as fishing competition, bull fights, fete, khruk-khruk, will be taxed. As it is now, it is free. Where is the future of the state?”
He lamented that the state has to take loans even for road projects and there is too much leakage of revenue due to coal ban asserting that from one check-gate Rs 60 lakhs-Rs70 lakhs is leaked in one day.