Committee on impact of online gaming dilatory tactic of govt: EPS

CHENNAI: AIADMK Joint Coordinator K. Palaniswami on Saturday, slamming the DMK government in Tamil Nadu headed by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, wondered if it needs any more reasons than the increasing number of suicides to ban online gaming.

Palaniswami said people are wondering whether the DMK government, by forming a committee to study the impact of online gaming, seems to be taking a dilatory action.

A former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami said 23 people affected by online gaming have committed suicide till date and added "does the Tamil Nadu government need any more reason to ban it?"

He said the DMK government should bring an ordinance banning online gaming in the state.

On Friday, at a meeting chaired by Stalin, the government decided to appoint a committee headed by Madras High Court retired judge K. Chandru, to study the impact of the advertisements of online gaming companies, the financial loss and suicide and other impact on the public.

According to the government, the committee will submit its report in two weeks.

The other members of the committee are -- IIT technology expert Shankaraman, founder of SNEHA and psychologist Lakshmi Vijayakumar and Additional Director General of Police Vinit Dev Wankhede.

The government also said several people attracted by the online gaming have lost their money and have committed suicide after running up huge debt.

Leading political parties like AIADMK and PMK have demanded the DMK government enact a law banning online gaming and termed it as online gambling.

The erstwhile AIADMK government had brought a law banning the online gaming but the Madras High Court struck that down.

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