On the first day of the session, the Tamil Nadu Parliament witnessed a tumultuous scene as lawmakers from the governing DMK and its allies, the Congress and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), staged a walkout from the assembly before Governor R N Ravi’s usual address. The parliamentarians were objecting to the governor’s recent comments that the state should be called Tamizhagam rather than Tamil Nadu.
“Don’t impose BJP and RSS philosophy!” exclaimed the DMK MLAs in opposition to the governor. The governor was accused by the DMK and its supporters of endorsing the BJP’s ideology and opposing state pride. “This is not Nagaland; this is proud Tamil Nadu!” the legislators shouted.
Online Gambling Was Also Brought Up by Legislators
Legislators brought up the topic of internet gambling in tandem with the proposal to change the name of the state. They blamed the governor for not signing the legislation outlawing internet gambling.
There was an evident demand for the prohibition of online gambling by leaders present at the conference. Lawmakers objected and placed the onus on the governor, who has so far failed to acknowledge the bill banning online gambling. Despite the ruckus, Governor Ravi chose to continue delivering his speech.
Unresolved Issues between the Ruling DMK and Raj Bhavan
There are certainly unresolved issues when it comes to the scuffle between the ruling DMK regime and Raj Bhavan regarding numerous pending bills with the Governor. This includes, but is not limited to, the one prohibiting online gambling at some of the best Indian casinos within the jurisdiction. If passed, this bill would outlaw internet gambling and all wager-based online games of chance like Rummy.
Twenty-one pieces of legislation are still pending in the Raj Bhavan as of December 2022.
On October 1, 2022, the government published a gazette notice informing the public that internet gambling would be prohibited. After being approved, the replacement ordinance was forwarded to Raj Bhavan for approval. On October 17, 2022, the Assembly convened for a short session to enact a measure to repeal that ordinance. The measure has not yet received the governor’s approval.
The call for the outlawing of internet gambling is a significant issue since it affects the security and welfare of individuals. Addiction and financial crimes are only two of the many harmful effects of online gambling that may affect both individuals and families. The intention of the government is to protect its citizens from these hazards by outlawing internet gam ing, or so they claim.
Governor Ravi’s Remarks on the State’s Name
When he said that “Thamizhagam” would be more fitting than “Tamil Nadu” for the name of the state on Wednesday, the governor stirred a new debate. He asserted that the myth that Tamil Nadu is a different entity from the rest of the country must be dispelled. He said that “Thamizhagam” would be a better name for the state and that Tamil Nadu is the place where the spirit of India resides.
The ruling party and its supporters criticized the governor for his remarks. Governor Ravi received criticism from DMK Treasurer and MP TR Balu, who advised him to discontinue serving as the BJP’s second state president. He said that the governor should have made his remarks from the BJP state headquarters rather than Raj Bhavan and that such remarks are strongly condemned.
A Brief History of the Legality of Online Gambling in Tamil Nadu
The Indian government had first dealt with the issue of internet gambling in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which is when Tamil Nadu’s history of online gambling regulations began.
The rules and regulations were not clearly established at the time since the government only had a limited grasp of the internet and its potential. However, as the use of the internet increased, the government started acting more proactively to control online gambling.
The Tamil Nadu Gaming Act was passed by the Tamil Nadu government in 2011 with the intention of policing and regulating the state’s gaming operations. The law made it illegal to gamble in public places and imposed fines and other sanctions on offenders. The statute, however, did not contain any measures to directly target or restrict internet gambling.
With the growth of internet gambling in recent years, the Tamil Nadu government has taken action to counter what some of them perceive as a problem. The state government announced a ban on internet gambling in 2020 and published a notice in the gazette to that effect.
The measure has not yet received the governor’s approval. The state is now experiencing a dispute over numerous outstanding measures, including the one outlawing internet gambling, between the Raj Bhavan and the DMK administration in power.
Affected parties have recently turned to state high courts for redress as a result of regulatory developments in the gambling sector. Some of these limitations have been overturned by the Tamil Nadu High Court and Kerala High Court. On August 3, 2021, the Tamil Nadu High Court struck down the Tamil Nadu Amendment’s ban on internet gambling.
This is consistent with other legal rulings that affirmed the difference between skill-based and chance-based games. Since the 1960s, Indian courts have been identifying the dominating feature of games, and identifying a game as one of skill might encourage the creation of more games with a similar theme.