Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly H.D. Kumaraswamy has said the government has failed to check the menace of single digit lottery in the State and alleged that vested interests are behind the thriving lottery mafia.
In a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr. Kumaraswamy said it was unfortunate that both he (Mr. Siddaramaiah) and Home Minister K.J. George had termed his earlier allegations on single digit lottery as irresponsible statements. The Home Minister appears to be unaware of the happenings in the State, Mr. Kumaraswamy said in the letter dated December 30, 2013, copies of which were released to the media on Thursday.
He said he had drawn the attention of the new government towards the lottery mafia twice. The Tumkur police recently arrested six persons and recovered lottery tickets, prompting the police headquarters to announce a cash award. Mr. George, however, appeared to be in the dark about the incident, he said.
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The former Chief Minister said Kalasipalya in Bangalore was the headquarters of the mafia and the illegal business was thriving just behind the Upparpet police station in the city. This indicated political and police patronage to the racketeers, Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged. While cases were registered in the Kanakapura and Esuru police stations in Ramanagaram district and in Bellary town against the illegal business, it was thriving in districts bordering Maharashtra, he added.
The Janata Dal (Secular) leader said single digit lottery had been affecting the lives of people from economically weaker sections, including daily wage labourers and petty businessmen. He urged the Chief Minister to immediately order an inquiry and put an end to the mafia.
In another letter to Mr. Siddaramaiah, Mr. Kumaraswamy urged him to convene an all-party meeting to discuss ways and means to bring Maoists to the mainstream of society.
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The move by Shaantigaagi Nagarikara Vedike to mediate between the government and Maoists should be appreciated, Mr. Kumaraswamy said. He urged the government not to miss the chance of bringing Maoists to the mainstream within the legal framework. The need of the hour was a mature political decision and not decisions either by bureaucrats or police officers, he said in the letter.