Political Row Erupts in Himachal Over Move to Legalize Lottery; Minister Dharmani Hits Back at Dr. Bindal’s Allegations

Shimla, August 1:
The Himachal Pradesh government’s decision to legalize the previously banned lottery system has sparked a political storm across the state. The move, taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition BJP, while the government has defended it as a measure to curb rising online betting.

BJP leader and former Speaker Dr. Rajeev Bindal lashed out at the decision, calling it a betrayal of the unemployed youth and accusing the government of putting people’s lives at risk for marginal revenue gains. He claimed that decisions like these could undermine the social fabric of the state.

Responding to the criticism, Technical Education and Urban Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani argued that a large number of youth in Himachal are already losing money on platforms like Dream11 and other online betting apps.

“These platforms are beyond the government’s control, and people are falling prey to unregulated and illegal betting,” Dharmani said. “In this context, a regulated and legal state-run lottery system could help divert people away from harmful online gambling.”

He also took aim at the BJP, blaming the previous government for pushing the state into a financial crisis. “The BJP left the state in deep fiscal distress. There was widespread mismanagement of resources and no vision for long-term revenue generation,” he said.

The government maintains that the lottery will be run in a transparent and legal manner, providing much-needed revenue to a state grappling with financial challenges.