'Spirit' of abstinence: Maharashtra govt mulls liquor ban

Tipplers, take note! The Maharashtra government is contemplating on whether to emulate its neighbour Gujarat by enforcing a ban on liquor in the state. According to a DNA report on Friday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the state legislative council that the government is considering the ban, while studying the situation in districts in Maharashtra where prohibition already exists. [caption id=“attachment_2320036” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “]  Devendra Fadnavis. Image courtesy- PTI[/caption] Just two days ago, during a hearing on the ban on Nestle’s Maggi instant noodles, a Bombay High Court judge remarked that alcohol too should be banned and that even school children were consuming it, reports the Indian Express. A liquor ban is already in place in Wardha, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts in the Vidarbha region of the state. Chandrapur was the most recent district to put the ban in place on 1 April, after a five-year long campaign by activists seeking the same, reports the Times of India. Chief minister Fadnavis’ statement came in response to a question by a member of legislative council (MLC) from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The MLC had raised the issue of a police official who was stoned to death after he opposed illegal liquor trade in Yavatmal district in eastern Maharashtra. Even as the chief minister made this statement, he also said that after a ban was put in place in Andhra Pradesh, smuggling and adulteration of liquor had increased. Fadnavis even went to the extent of calling for the capital punishment for people involved in adulteration of liquor, milk and medicines. Commenting on Fadnavis’ statement, Paromita Goswami, who had campaigned in favour of the liquor ban in Chandrapur district, said, “If there is a popular demand for putting in place such a ban throughout the state, then it should certainly be done. It is not just women who face the negative effects of alcohol abuse, but also includes school-going children and youths. In incidents like murders and road accidents which take place under the influence of alcohol, even those who do not drink face harm.” Chandrapur-based activist Bandu Dhotre said, “If the government is serious about a liquor ban, then it is welcome. But the experience in the districts where such a ban exists is that it leads to a thriving trade of illicit liquor. This is now being seen even in Chandrapur, where the ban is merely a few months old. Further, as it is not within the legal purview, there is no regulation on the quality of liquor that people are consuming. In March this year, the Maharashtra government had banned beef by reviving a twenty-year old legislation which was brought about when the BJP-Shiv Sena government was in power.