Lottery sellers threaten 'jail bharo andolan' against ban

Mumbai, Mar 22 (UNI) Thousands of lottery vendors here today threatened to resort to 'jail bharo andolan' if the government refused to withdraw the ban on lottery business.

Addressing a lottery vendors' rally here, Lottery Vikreta Union president Chandrakant More said they are trying to meet Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, the State Finance Minister and other people's representatives to acquaint them with the ground situation.

Incidentally, as many as 2.5 lakh families depend on the lottery enterprise for their living. The business generates Rs 50 crore revenue annually for the State.

More further said, instead of such ''suicidal policies'' the State government should issue a white paper declaring it as a policy to grant industry status to the lottery business.

''One of our collegues has committed suicide by hanging himself while another immolated himself to protest the policy of the Government, Maharashtra Rajya Lottery Abhikarta Sena president Ramakant Acharekar added.

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