Matka has its wings long drawn across India and even in many countries overseas. It is definitely a lesser evil than the lethal drug menace and the now flourishing sex trade or even the illegalities that the Goa government has been merrily watching and supporting in the casinos. Gambling cannot be the privilege of only the rich and affluent. Why was there a need for a Special Investigative Team (SIT) on matka when every police station in Goa knows the names of all the matka bookies operating in its jurisdiction? While there are some people who believe that gambling in any form shouldn’t be encouraged, there are others who think that matka should be legalised. In Goa it has become a widespread industry across every nook and corner of the State while it is the only source of income for thousands of matka agents. In fact after the Supreme Court directed the Law Commission and the government to consider the suggestion of legalising betting, the Law Commission of India last year issued a public notice inviting suggestions from stakeholders and members of the general public on whether gambling and betting should be legalised. The Commission noted that since the issue of gambling and betting is linked, it would study the possibility of legalising both betting and gambling by making a comprehensive study of the existing laws. It opined that there was a strong case for legalising gambling and betting since it will earn tax revenues to the State coffers.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
