YSRCP accuses govt of encouraging gambling

Vijayawada: YSRCP official spokesperson Ambati Rambabu, on Tuesday, came down heavily on TDP, alleging that gambling involving crores of rupees was held in a corporate fashion all over the state during Sankranti.

Speaking to the media persons at the party office here on Tuesday, he accused MPs, MLAs and MLCs of the ruling party that they misused their power to ensure gambling in the name of Sankranti festivities. He charged the TDP leaders with organising gambling through cockfights on the lines of T20 day and night cricket matches played under flood lights.

Stating that Sankranthi festival is celebrated by decorating houses with rangolis and organising ox race and cockfight in villages, the YSRCP leader flayed the rulers for holding the festival celebrations with a touch of gambling everywhere. The celebrations were changed into gambling with the support of the ruling party leaders. The gamblers were welcomed through huge hoardings and flexes in a corporate style, he added.

Rambabu informed that the gambling organisers auctioned stalls for gambling in the name of playing cards and Gundata. The stalls were also auctioned for supply of liquor and Biryani in a planned manner.

He accused Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy CM China Rajappa of silencing the police so that they allow the ongoing gambling. As a result, the cops played a spectator’s role wherever gambling was organised.

Rambabu blamed the Deputy CM that cockfights with cruelty against animals and birds was held in his own constituency.

He wondered the police inaction was resulted in ‘official’ gambling, liquor flow through belt shops and obscene dances.