Shillong, Sep 14: Nongkrem legislator and advisor to the Chief Minister Lambor Malngiang on Wednesday urged the state government to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act and Rules, 2021, and cancel all licenses for setting up of casinos in the state.
In a letter to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Malngiang said, “In the greater interest of the public, I request you to kindly repeal, abolish and scrap the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021, the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Rules, 2021, and to cancel all licence for setting up of Casinos in the State of Meghalaya.”
The MLA said the decision to set up casinos is against the public sentiment and is being looked at as a move to create inequity in the state.
“As a public representative, I understand the feelings and sentiments of the people at large and that the public opinion is gaining momentum against the aforementioned Act, Rule and granting of licence for setting up of casinos in the state of Meghalaya. People of our state expected the executive to act as good stewards in its formulation of good public policies and as well as it should take of utmost care of the public sentiments,” Malngiang said.
He said that the state will be ruined and people will get into gambling, which will have negative impact on their lives. He also referred to the Opium Law initiated by the (Late) Rev. J.J.M. Nichols Roy that was passed in the Assam Legislative Council in 1927 to prevent sale of opium.
“In the same way we should prevent gambling addiction of people by strengthening and giving more power to the Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act, 1970,” he said.
