Ban on card game hits club workers hard

Hyderabad: The Telangana government’s tough stand against gambling, mainly playing cards, has left many people unemployed. As the officials banned playing 13 cards rummy in city clubs, the managements sacked many employees, who were working in the card sections as helpers.

“As many as 10,000 families are extremely affected by the State government’s decision. As we were all working in the clubs for 20 years, we don’t know any other work. Nobody is ready to give job to us. We are left permanently jobless,” said J Paramesh Goud, president, Telangana Family Club Workers’ Union.

He demanded that the government provide alternative jobs in private or government sectors. “It is becoming very difficult for us to lead the family as we lost the only income source. Children’s education is also affected badly,” he said.
The government’s decision to close the card sections in family clubs has made no difference as number of society clubs like Gymkhana Club, Boats Club and Filmnagar Cultural Club are running the cards sections by collecting huge amounts as membership fee from new members.

The society clubs are allowed to run cards sections as they fall under different rules. “Why is this discrimination? Apply the same rules to family clubs too,” Paramesh argued. “The government’s decision has not affected us alone but also for its exchequer as punters discovered another destinations such as Bangalore, Bangkok and Colombo where playing cards is legal causing huge loss to the exchequer in the form of tax,” he said.

The union warned the State government that if their problems were not solved immediately, they would take the extreme step of committing suicides.