Over 15,000 villagers, most of them women, from different corners of the district came together on Sunday to demand a complete ban on liquor production, sale and consumption in the State. Madhyapana Nishedha Andolan, Karnataka, a conglomerate of 27 organisations and individuals, mobilised the villagers on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi.
Right from early morning, people started arriving at the APMC yard in the city in small goods carriers raising slogans such as “We want land and shelter and not liquor,” “We want health centres and not intoxication centres,” and “Our votes are reserved to those who ban liquor menace.”
Addressing a public meeting, Swarna Bhatt, a leader of Grameena Coolie Karmikara Sanghatan, attacked the government for destroying the lives of poor and marginalised sections by selling liquor to them. She strongly opposed the common justifications of governments for selling liquor.
“The major justification that the successive governments have been citing for the sale of liquor has been that it generates revenue for the State exchequer. Major portion of the revenue thus generated is again distributed to the rich and powerful through various channels. Rampant sale of liquor and vigorous promotion of alcoholism will further impoverish poor and downtrodden and enrich the liquor producers,” she said.
Several women shared testimonies of how their families were destroyed by alcoholism.
