Will discourage celebrities from partnering with online rummy apps, says Kerala Minister V.N. Vasavan

Culture Minister VN Vasavan told the gathering on Tuesday that the government will discourage celebrities from becoming brand ambassadors of online rummy and betting portals.

He was responding to a query from KB Ganesh Kumar, MLA, who raised concerns about the increasing number of suicides by people who have suffered financial losses while using such applications. The actor-politician blamed influential personalities from the entertainment industry as well as prominent athletes for the fact that young people are increasingly becoming victims of such platforms.

“While famous figures like Shah Rukh Khan and Virat Kohli have lent their star power to boost the business of such emerging apps, we’ve seen some artists like Vijay Yesudas and Rimi Tomy follow suit without realizing the ill effects the such platforms had families,” said Mr. Ganesh Kumar.

Mr Vasavan stressed the government’s inability to curb such practices through legal means. “We can only ask for your support in our efforts to raise public awareness against such applications. Change can only happen if a cultural revolution takes place in the minds of such influential figures,” he said.

The minister also addressed alleged attempts by various sides to limit participation in sports and cultural festivals to people of certain religions and castes. The government will take strict action against such divisive measures, which violate Kerala’s constitution and secular values, he said.

He was responding to an allegation made by Thrikaripur MLA M. Rajagopalan (Communist Party of India) against a club in Manjeswaram for allegedly restricting participation in a sports festival among Hindus.