The Khasi Jaiñtia Christian Leaders Forum (KJCLF) has been left unmoved by the state government’s assurances and has called for the repeal of the gambling law in Meghalaya.
Damningly, it also called for moral political leadership and true statesmanship, the implication being that Meghalaya lacks both.
The KJCLF comprises several denominations, such as Presbyterian, Catholic, Church of God and Church of North India.
The forum recently deliberated on the legalisation of gambling. Replying to concerns, the government has been at pains to make clear that casinos will only be allowed on the border with Assam in Ri-Bhoi in order to lure gamblers from that state. Meghalayans will also not be allowed to patronise them. Other gambling (or gaming, as the legislation prefers to call them) activities have been practised in a sort of grey area, the government said, for several years but they will now be regularised and brought under the ambit of the law.
From this, and the casinos, the state exchequer will earn valuable revenues, goes the government’s logic.
That shows the state’s concern with money, not morals, the KJCLF said.
“Studies have shown that legitimisation of gambling is detrimental to society in more ways than one,” a press release said tonight. “Gambling can have negative effects on quality of life. Gambling can increase criminality in several ways – through illegal acts such as forgery, fraud, robbery and murder to finance one’s gambling habit… Gambling has serious effects on the family with cases of divorce, separation, child-abuse and domestic violence.”
While agreeing that it is the government’s responsibility to augment resources for the economic development and prosperity of the state, the KJCLF said that legalisation of gambling is immoral and comes with a high societal price.
“With these activities we fear that our families, our youths and society values will go down the drain and we will lead our future generations into despair and destruction,” the release, signed by KJCLF secretary Rev EH Kharkongor, said.
“True statesmanship is what Meghalaya needs. Politicians who are business-minded men see money as their primary concern rather than the people whom they are expected to serve. The Church must raise its voice, not just against the issue in hand, but also about the need for true and moral political leadership,” he added.
