Srinagar, Nov 1 Senior religious leader and chairman of his own faction of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq on Friday voiced serious concern at the growing trend of online gambling in Kashmir - and its toll.
Delivering the weekly Friday sermon at the Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area of Srinagar city, the Mirwaiz expressed serious concern over the growing trend of online gambling disguised as various sports including cricket, football etc.
He urged the government to ban all such websites and apps, which make online gambling possible.
Mirwaiz said that it is already tragic enough for Kashmir to be grappling with the crisis of drug addiction and now another menace has taken root in our society. He said hundreds of youth driven by the greed of making quick money, have fallen victim to these gambling apps forcing many families to sell their homes and assets to cover the massive debts incurred by their addicted members.
He quoted some disturbing examples of youth, who have lost lakhs of rupees, causing heavy financial burdens on their families and destroying such families emotionally.
Mirwaiz said that in Islam, gambling in every form is strictly prohibited as it breeds greed and avarice and ruins lives thereby, destroying our spiritual and moral foundation.
"Our young people need meaningful opportunities, not harmful distractions that eventually drain their finances and ruin their future," he said urging the government to take decisive action, noting that many states like Telangana, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Nagaland have already banned these gambling apps.
"We call on the Jammu and Kashmir government to follow suit and immediately impose a ban on these apps to protect our youth and society from further harm. While the ulema (Islamic scholars) and imams (preachers) will keep addressing critical issues in sermons, it is the parents who need to 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 and meaningful lives," he advised.
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