Social activists led by the United Forum of Anti-liquor Organisations on Sunday resolved to build a strong movement against liquor leading to imposition of total prohibition in the State.
“We will make the social menace of liquor a main poll issue in 2019 by focussing on struggles against setting up of liquor shops,” Forum convenor V. Lakshmana Reddy said while initiating a brainstorming session with participation by like-minded women and civil society organisations.
The meeting formed an advisory committee headed by Forum for Good Governance president T. Gopal Reddy and a convenor committee comprising seven sister women organisations to spearhead a series of stirs starting with en masse fast in front of the Collectorate on July 17 demanding closure of all belt shops as also against opening of new liquor shops in residential areas in the wake of the Supreme Court imposing restriction on locating liquor shops on highways.
CPI(M)-led All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) State general secretary D. Rama Devi said one crore signatures would be collected from people to give a push to the campaign ‘Maa vuruku Madhiyam Odhu’ (No liquor in our villages/towns). Different forms of protests, including forming of human chains and candle light rallies, with participation by different sections of people would be organised to turn liquor a major political issue, she said and took strong exception to the reported view of Excise Minister K.S. Jawahar that ‘beer is a health drink.’ The alcohol content misled members of GenX to become addicted to alcohol, she added.
Focal point
National Federation of Indian Women State general secretary P. Durga Bhavani said the ongoing stirs against setting up of liquor shops in residential areas in cities and towns would be the focal point to build a wider anti-liquor movement. “We will also highlight the benefits of liquor ban by showcasing the scores of liquor-free villages achieved by women through united struggles,” she added.
CPI Prakasam district secretary K. Aruna who had led the anti-liquor movement taking inspiration from the Dubagunta struggle led by Rosamma in Nellore district in the 1990s said a similar movement would be initiated by roping in women and Dalit organisations.
‘Women subjected
to abuse’
Ms. D..Manorama, Convenor of the Madhya Niyantharana Udhyama Committee, said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu should realise that the pact entered into with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) would be meaningless for women in the rural parts who were subjected to physical and emotional abuse by their men addicted to liquor. “We will complain against the CM to the UN body about the liquor policy which puts paid to the goal of empowering women and improving the happiness index of people in the State,” she added.
‘Dalits suffer a lot’
Dr. Harsha Preetam Dev, Associate Professor, Social Work Department at Acharya Nagarjuna University P.G. Campus here, said it was the Dalits who suffered the most losing most of their income for buying liquor.
The TDP, which rode to power by promising to close down all belt shops in the State, pursued revenue-driven excise policy at the cost of the people’s health, said city Congress president Sripathi Prakasam.
