Shimla, Sept. 3 -- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators staged a protest outside the Himachal Pradesh vidhan sabha against what it termed the "failure" of Himachal Pradesh government to generate employment and its decision to resume lottery sales and allow controlled cannabis cultivation in the state.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jai Ram Thakur said, "Lottery was an addictive habit. Lottery was banned in the state in 1999 because many families lost all their money, trying their luck". He said, "Lottery will ruin the youth as people will get addicted to it like any other drug addiction."

"If the government wants to improve Himachal Pradesh's economic condition, it needs better fiscal management and not a lottery," said the LoP, while d...