Demand in Rajya Sabha to legalize betting in sports

NEW DELHI: A demand to legalize sports betting in the country was among several special mentions raised in the RajyaSabha today.

Moving the Special Mention seeking to legalise betting in sports, KTS Tulsi, also a lawyer, suggested the spirit of cricket, which is referred to as a gentleman's game, would not be harmed if betting in sports is allowed.

He also pointed out that betting had paved the way for around one lakh jobs in the United Kingdom.

Another demand was raised by AIADMK MP AK Selvaraj, who sought halt to construction of Mekedattu reservoirs on river Cauvery and set up Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.

Ronald Saoa Tlau (Congress) from Mizoram sought alternative arrangements to transport rice to ease the impending food crisis in Mizoram.

Another special mention moved in the upper house by M V Rajeev Gowda (Congress) sought immediate steps to fill key government positions in organisations like CIC, CVC, CBDT, ministries etc which have been lying vacant.

Wansuk Syiem (Congress) demanded grant of status of autonomy to the North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in Shillong while Bhupinder Singh of BJD spoke about the need to make efforts for a secular, democratic, federal world government to secure human rights for all.

Baswaraj Patil (BJP) demanded facilities of ESI Hospital and Medical College at Gulberga while Chaudhary Munvver Saleem (SP) sought compensation to Muslim youth recently aquitted of charges of terrorism after having been in jail for years.

AIADMK's V Maitreyan raised a demand for inclusion of Srirangam in National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana.