SHILLONG, May 28: President of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Lambokstar Marngar said the government’s bid to legalise gambling in the state is at variance with its avowed attention to the development of the youth.
He said this at the Fr. Sylvanus Sngi Lyngdoh Academic Award ceremony organised by the KSU at the auditorium of the District Library in Nongpoh, Ri-Bhoi district on Saturday.
Marngar said the gambling-related announcement was very disheartening and wondered  if gambling would help improve education or ensure the uplift of Meghalaya’s youth.
The KSU president also rued the lack of good educational institutions in the districts, compelling students to come to Shillong for higher education.
Members of the union felicitated 104 students from Ri-Bhoi district for excelling in the secondary, higher secondary, degree and master’s examinations and for acquiring PhDs
The government’s move to allow casinos, online gambling and gaming for tourists had drawn flak from several quarters, including religious institutions and civil society groups.
But the government has defended its decision, stating that it is aimed at regulating the game and generating revenue. It also said it would lose ₹8-10 crore annually because of the repeal of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021.
