Srinagar, Nov 1: Hurriyat Conference Chairman and Chief Cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday expressed deep concern over the growing trend of online gambling in Kashmir and urged the government to impose a ban on online gambling apps.
Addressing the congregation at the historic Jamia Masjid Srinagar on Friday Mirwaiz expressed deep concern over the growing trend of online gambling, disguised as various sports including cricket, football, that has taken hold of the youth in Kashmir valley.
“It’s tragic enough to be grappling with the crisis of drug addiction, and now another menace has taken root in our society”. Mirwaiz said.
The Chief Cleric alleged that hundreds of young people, driven by the allure of making quick money, have fallen victim to these gambling apps, (dream11dotcom, my11circledot com, etc) forcing many families to sell their homes and assets to cover the massive debts to incurred by their addicted members mostly young men.
Mirwaiz urged the government to take decisive action, noting that many states in India including Telangana, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Nagaland have already banned these gambling apps.
“We call on the Jammu and Kashmir government to follow and immediately impose a ban on these apps to protect our youth and society from further harm,’ he added.
Mirwaiz said the high rate of youth unemployment -40 percent in Jammu and Kashmir adds to the problem, pushing many to risky shortcuts like online gambling out of compulsion.
“Our young people need meaningful opportunities, not harmful distractions that eventually drain their finances and ruin their futures,’ he said.
Mirwaiz said that while the community’s ulemas and imams will keep addressing critical issues across mosques, it is the parents who need to be invested and stay vigilant.
“We also need to be mindful of our technological habits, as hours lost to social media and screen addiction are hours taken from productive, meaningful lives”, he said
He called upon all community members to recognize these dangers and work collectively to safeguard our society and the future of our youth. Agencies
