Shimla, Aug 2 (IANS) Two-time Chief Minister and BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal, on Saturday, criticised the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh to restart the lottery system, saying “this unfortunate decision will ruin the lives”.

Veteran BJP leader Dhumal said that 30 years ago on April 17, 1996, the High Court had imposed a complete ban on the sale of single digit lottery in the state.

“After this, when I myself became the Chief Minister for the first time in 1998, in 1999, our BJP government decided unanimously that the entire lottery system would be closed in Himachal Pradesh,” he said in a statement.

He added that this was not just a decision, but a far-sighted thought to save the people from ruin.

“At that time employees of all categories, retired employees, labourers and the youth of Himachal Pradesh had started buying lottery in large numbers, due to which the salaries of employees, savings of youth, pension of retirees and hard-earned money of labourers were at stake and many families and homes were ruined. The lottery was stopped in public interest so that the people do not get addicted to lottery.”

At that time, the senior BJP leader said that many employees and retired employees lost their salary and retirement earnings in buying lotteries.

Veteran BJP leader Dhumal said that in 2004 the Congress government restarted the lottery and after that the then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh imposed a complete ban on the lotteries.

“Perhaps the former Chief Minister also understood that lottery is a curse. He said at that time the state used to earn only about Rs 4 to 5 crore from the lotteries.”

He added at present, 231,180 employees are working in Himachal Pradesh, comprising 160,000 permanent employees.

Similarly, there are nine to 10 lakh unemployed people in the state, who are in great danger from this lottery system due to which their lives can be at stake.

“The Congress government of Himachal Pradesh came to power on the promise of giving permanent jobs to one lakh youth in the first Cabinet meeting and five lakh youth in five years. But the reality is now coming out that Himachal Pradesh is becoming a hotspot of liquor, ‘chitta’, bhang, intoxication and lottery. The Bharatiya Janata Party strongly condemns this decision and demands from the government to withdraw such “anti-people” decisions with immediate effect,” Veteran BJP leader Dhumal added.

The State Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, on Thursday, decided to restart the operation of lotteries for the cash-strapped government, with an eye to annually generating Rs 100 crore revenue.

–IANS

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