Bhartiya Janta Party has expressed deep anguish and raised serious objection over the decision taken on regularizing the lottery trade instead of banning the same in an all-party meeting called by the Union Home Minister Sh. Shiv Raj Patil.
BJP National Secretary Sh. Vijay Goel, while addressing a Press Conference stated that when everybody has expressed concern about the evils of the lottery and despite millions of people having suffered, the decision of the Govt. to form a committee to look into the regularisation of lottery trade, is a clear case of favour to the Lottery trade lobby.
Mr. Goel stated that the single point agenda before the standing committee of Home Ministry was why the ban should not imposed on all types of multi digits and other lotteries all over the Country. But the Home Ministry under the pressure of Lottery Trade included the request of All India Federation of Lottery traders that instead of banning the Lottery the trade should be regulated.
Mr. Goel said that the lottery trade is a social evil and is full of manipulations fraudulent practices. He said that this is the only case after 50 years of independence where the Parliament rose above the party politics on a social evil and had banned the single digit lottery all over the country and had further demanded ban on multi digits other lotteries all over India, that’s why the second bill was introduced.
Mr. Goel said that one argument being given by the proponents of lottery trade is that it will result in substantial loss of revenue. It will be seen that the revenue to the States is only one to two percent of the total sales of lottery tickets. Even if the revenues were substantial, (which it is not), this would not justify the promotion of a social evil.
Another argument being given is that the ban on lottery trade will lead to loss in employment (by way of distributors, agents, sub-agents and in the printing presses). There are no figures available as to the number of persons engaged in the lottery trade. However, most of the employment generated by the trade is outside the North-East because most of the sale of tickets is outside the North-East. A trade, which is not ethical, cannot be justified on the ground that it offers employment to some people.
Sh. Goel further said that the Government claims that the revenue earned out of Lottery shall be spent on people’s welfare simply ignore the fact that only the middle income group or lower income group is attracted by the lottery menace and indulges in lottery. No individual or State can prosper with the income earned out of gambling.
The NDA Government demonstrated courage and took all parties in confidence and introduced an Act on single digit lotteries and also introduced another bill to impose ban on all type multi digits and other lotteries. Today the UPA Government headed by Congress under the pressure of lottery mafia for personal gains is planning to open up the lottery trade once again. The individuals earn more out of lottery trade than the Governments.
Sh. Goel further stated that leaving aside North East States the lottery trade is on only in three or four States that too run by the Congress or congress supported Governments.
Sh. Vijay Goel presented the statistics in support of his statement establishing the fact how the lottery has perished lakhs of the people from lower/middle income group and common man earns negligible amount.
At present, in more than half country, lotteries are already effectively banned. The States, which are not organizing their own lotteries, have banned the sale of tickets of lotteries organized by other States in their territories.
The only people who really benefit from this evil are the distributors/agents as well as a few officers and politicians who get commissions from the distributors/agents.
On the other hand, this evil leads to misery in a large number of poor families as in fact, it is the poorer sections who are enticed by lotteries.
The argument that the ban on lottery trade will lead to an increase in other illegal forms of gambling like the satta has been proved to be baseless from the examples of the State, which have completely banned the lotteries, said Mr. Goel.
BJP National Secretary Sh. Vijay Goel, while addressing a Press Conference stated that when everybody has expressed concern about the evils of the lottery and despite millions of people having suffered, the decision of the Govt. to form a committee to look into the regularisation of lottery trade, is a clear case of favour to the Lottery trade lobby.
Mr. Goel stated that the single point agenda before the standing committee of Home Ministry was why the ban should not imposed on all types of multi digits and other lotteries all over the Country. But the Home Ministry under the pressure of Lottery Trade included the request of All India Federation of Lottery traders that instead of banning the Lottery the trade should be regulated.
Mr. Goel said that the lottery trade is a social evil and is full of manipulations fraudulent practices. He said that this is the only case after 50 years of independence where the Parliament rose above the party politics on a social evil and had banned the single digit lottery all over the country and had further demanded ban on multi digits other lotteries all over India, that’s why the second bill was introduced.
Mr. Goel said that one argument being given by the proponents of lottery trade is that it will result in substantial loss of revenue. It will be seen that the revenue to the States is only one to two percent of the total sales of lottery tickets. Even if the revenues were substantial, (which it is not), this would not justify the promotion of a social evil.
Another argument being given is that the ban on lottery trade will lead to loss in employment (by way of distributors, agents, sub-agents and in the printing presses). There are no figures available as to the number of persons engaged in the lottery trade. However, most of the employment generated by the trade is outside the North-East because most of the sale of tickets is outside the North-East. A trade, which is not ethical, cannot be justified on the ground that it offers employment to some people.
Sh. Goel further said that the Government claims that the revenue earned out of Lottery shall be spent on people’s welfare simply ignore the fact that only the middle income group or lower income group is attracted by the lottery menace and indulges in lottery. No individual or State can prosper with the income earned out of gambling.
The NDA Government demonstrated courage and took all parties in confidence and introduced an Act on single digit lotteries and also introduced another bill to impose ban on all type multi digits and other lotteries. Today the UPA Government headed by Congress under the pressure of lottery mafia for personal gains is planning to open up the lottery trade once again. The individuals earn more out of lottery trade than the Governments.
Sh. Goel further stated that leaving aside North East States the lottery trade is on only in three or four States that too run by the Congress or congress supported Governments.
Sh. Vijay Goel presented the statistics in support of his statement establishing the fact how the lottery has perished lakhs of the people from lower/middle income group and common man earns negligible amount.
At present, in more than half country, lotteries are already effectively banned. The States, which are not organizing their own lotteries, have banned the sale of tickets of lotteries organized by other States in their territories.
The only people who really benefit from this evil are the distributors/agents as well as a few officers and politicians who get commissions from the distributors/agents.
On the other hand, this evil leads to misery in a large number of poor families as in fact, it is the poorer sections who are enticed by lotteries.
The argument that the ban on lottery trade will lead to an increase in other illegal forms of gambling like the satta has been proved to be baseless from the examples of the State, which have completely banned the lotteries, said Mr. Goel.
( Shyam Jaju )
Office Secretary
Office Secretary
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