Growing Demand For Liquor Ban

Jianand Sharma (The writer is based at Shimla)

Increasing voices in favour of liquor ban are pointing towards a revolution. Some people might have memories of anti-arrack movement started in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh that had ousted the then state government. Dubagunta Rosamma, the woman who led the famous anti-liquor movement, died about nine months ago at the age of 93 years on August 7, 2016. Rosamma lost her husband because of alcohol and the responsibility of two kids fell on her shoulders.

Rosamma was moved by the plight of women due to their alcoholic husbands. A lesson related to harms of liquor she read during a literacy movement campaign in the village inspired her to raise voice in favour of liquor ban. She began her movement by resisting a local arrack contractor and his henchmen from uploading liquor in her village in April 1991. Soon she gathered a band of women and the movement spread to all parts of the state like a wildfire. It became so fierce that it ousted the then government from power and brought to power a government that promised a complete liquor ban.

The protests against liquor at various places are instilling a feeling that Rosamma is still alive. She is present in every woman that faces violence and abuse, becomes rape victim, faces molestation or whose house has been destructed because of alcohol. Their anger against liquor shop is therefore justified. Their protest is, in fact, a combination of anger, pain and fear. However, the condition of these protests at present can be compared to a floor that is being continuously moped in order to keep it dry, but flow of the tap water to the floor has not been blocked.

There is no change in liquor manufacture, sale and consumption status. Liquor consumption has not stopped even in the state that has imposed a complete ban on it. Liquor mafia having political patronage and few corrupt officials are illegally running the show. Liquor shops are easily visible. So standing against it is not that much difficult. But the drugs business that is done behind veils is difficult to catch. It is available at small shops, near schools and colleges and even available easily in villages.Youth are becoming victim of drugs in two ways. One as a consumer and other as a drug carrier. Once entered, it becomes difficult for youth to come out of the grip of drugs mafia.

The nexus between drugs mafia and politics comes open during election time. How much alcohol is used to grab votes is an open secret. And these people then becomes public representative. Thinking of a complete liquor ban from such representatives is like seeing a dream with open eye in broad day light. Politicians needs help of drugs mafia in next election too and drugs mafia have to recover and make profits on the money they had invested.

This is why our policies reflect dual character. On the one hand, administration, public relation department and health department run ‘no to liquor’ awareness campaign and on the other hand, open liquor shops in villages. The governments too fear of drop in revenue in the backdrop of liquor ban. Protest in front of liquor shops alone will not solve the problem. No doubt women initiative in this regard is appreciable and men supporting them need to be praised. But this movement needs to be continued during election time also. The wind of a change has started but one more Rosamma is needed to give direction to this anger.

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