The cadre of Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) held a demonstration on Friday and also took out a procession with ‘coffins’ condemning Tamil Nadu Governor R.N.Ravi for returning the Bill seeking to ban online gaming and regulating online games. They accused Mr. Ravi of showing scant respect to the democratic principles.

The procession was led by party president and MLA M.H. Jawaharillah and other senior leaders on Velachery Main Road in Little Mount. They also shouted slogans against Mr. Ravi dubbing him an agent of the ruling BJP at the Centre.

“Though Mr. Ravi was sitting over the Bill for 142 days, he returned it to the government. The Bill was adopted unanimously in the Legislative Assembly last year. I wonder how the Governor who had promulgated an ordinance banning online gambling refused to grant assent for the Bill on the same subject. I doubt if the Governor applied his mind while retuning the Bill,” Mr. Jawahirullah said.

Claiming that in the last two years, 45 persons had ended their lives because of loss in online gambling, he alleged while the Bill was pending before the Governor, 14 persons ended their lives.

He also alleged that the Governor was delaying assent to more than 20 Bills passed by the Assembly.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State helpline 104)