Popular actor and politician Sarathkumar Ramanathan has made an urgent request to the Centre requesting it to ban all types of gambling including online rummy throughout the country. He went to say that the Tamil Nadu government has completely banned the same recently and the central government should follow suit.

Sarathkumar, the founder of Samatthu People’s Party, said that the move by the TN government was to prevent further loss of lives as around 50 people have already committed suicide after losing money on online rummy and gambling.

Sarathkumar has previously faced backlash for appearing in an online rummy advertisement. On being asked why he chose to appear in the rummy ad, the actor said, “Ask the government why online rummy is not banned and then come to me”. He later clarified that the ad was filmed months ago, when there was no such bill to ban online rummy.

Meanwhile, Governor RN Ravi who previously had not given his assent to the Gaming Ban Bill was also criticized. People started calling him “Rummy Ravi” and blamed him for the alleged suicides due to people losing money in online rummy.

Ravi had returned the Bill after more than four months, claiming that the state government did not have the authority to create such a legislation. Law minister S. Regupathy had clarified that the state did hold the power to pass the Bill and would re-enact it in the same form and send it back to the Governor.

The Governor gave his assent to the Bill on April 10 that was passed in the Legislative Assembly the second time. The Bill was immediately notified and has come into effect.