Mumbai stands by Imran’s PIL against age limit on drinking

The state government’s motion to raise the legal drinking age limit to 25 has ruffled many. In a country, where an 18-year old can vote a government to power, it is unfathomable that the same teenager needs to wait another seven years to drink — an entirely personal lifestyle choice. Actor Imran Khan has taken the lead and initiated a PIL against the motion in support of the youth of the country. “It’s completely unfair to expect that one has to wait till 25 years to exercise his freedom of choice regarding one’s lifestyle. Young India is not as irresponsible as the older establishment assumes it to be,” he told Firstpost. [caption id=“attachment_26173” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=““Young India is not as irresponsible as the older establishment assumes it to be.” AFP Photo”]  [/caption] A strong civic conscience seems to run in the Khan family – right from Aamir to nephew Imran. And Imran’s move seems to be well received by most in Mumbai. Celebrity, after all is an effective mobilisation tool. Some reactions: Shibani Bathija, screenwriter: “Twenty-five is an arbitrary number. Why not 35 then? It’s ridiculous! We vote at 18 because we are considered adults. What the youth choose to put in their bodies after stepping into adulthood is their choice. I think what Imran is doing is very commendable because when someone like him, who is a celebrity, takes a stand, it creates awareness and mobilises the youth. From what I know of him, he stands for what he believes in and this is just evidence of that.” Narendra Kumar Ahmed, fashion designer: “I agree with Imran completely. At 21, you are responsible enough to handle your life and the decisions you make. Increasing the age limit will only make it worse for the youth in that age group because they will find other illicit ways to do the same. The government is unnecessarily paranoid about young people drinking. I feel they think that by increasing the amount of restrictions on society, they will have less work to do. But in the drinking issue, I think the work will increase manifold if this law is processed.” Pawanjeet Singh, Director, Le Pain Quotidien, Mumbai: “I agree with Imran where he said that the youth of India have the right to make decisions about themselves and definitely their drinking choices. A 21-year-old is mature enough to take decisions and be responsible for his actions. If the motion is passed, it is going to affect businesses that are predominantly driven by beverage sales, whether bars, lounges or restaurants since a large number of youngsters party over the weekends.” Jamal Shaikh, Editorial Director, Men’s Health: “Siddharth Mallya should take the initiative actually since he runs a liquor company, the products of which he can’t buy himself, but can sell. I learned of the law when I moved to New Delhi since the age limit here is 25 years. It isn’t enforced in any way as drunk driving is rampant and youngsters drink anyway. The bigger move should be inculcating responsibility in people rather than enforcing absurd age limits that won’t be followed or easily bent with a bribe.” Pratik Shah, Managing Director, Estaa Gems: “Personally, I think raising the age limit to 25 is a good thing but on the other hand, it will only encourage the youth to drink even more and it will become a bigger issue of rebellion for them. So, I think Imran’s move will find many supporters. All these rules and regulations seem regressive in today’s modern world. It sounds like the government is saying via this impending law that it doesn’t trust the youth of today, which is ludicrous.” Joy Kapur, Chairman, Blue Foods: “Imran taking this up is encouraging and the outcome might just be positive. When the rule comes into force on July 1st, we will know its real impact, but the youth makes choices for themselves and it won’t stop them. If the authorities clam down on the law, it may make a difference, but they can’t monitor it on a day-to-day basis. The logistics of managing such an age limit is unreal. It seems like a social obligation by the government to control society. Look at the case of Gujarat – it is a dry state but that hasn’t stopped alcohol consumption in the least. It is readily available. India is a literate country, where the youth make better decisions. So if this decision goes through, it’s a regressive one.”