Taking strong exception to the proposal to award permits for over 1,000 new liquor shops in the State, a joint protest was staged under the aegis of All India Mahila Samskrutika Sanghatane (AIMSS) and All India Democratic Youth Organisation (AIDYO) in Dharwad on Wednesday.
Staging the demonstration near Vivekanand Circle in Dharwad, the protestors raised slogans against the State government and its policies.
Addressing the protestors, district president of AIMSS Madhulata Goudar termed the government proposal to issue permits to over 1,000 liquor shops in the State as anti-social.
“Already, because of addiction to liquor, lakhs of families have been pushed to the streets. While inflation, poverty and unemployment have made the lives of people miserable, it has been proved time and again that liquor consumption among men has been the main reason for increase in crime against women,” she said.
She said that the government, on the one hand, speaks about empowerment of women and, on the other, it is taking a contrary step facilitating crimes against women by proposing to issue more licence or permits for selling liquor which has already done much damage to society, particularly, women. In fact, women have been demanding total Prohibition but successive governments have been permitting more liquor shops on the pretext of revenue, she said.
District president of AIDYO Bhavanishankar Gouda termed liquor or alcohol consumption as the root cause of many social maladies. It is unfortunate that instead of providing job guarantee, the State government is giving liquor guarantee, which consequently leads to loss of several lives at a young age. Instead of leading value-based lives, youths are getting addicted to alcohol and losing their health and lives, he said.
Leading the protest, district secretary Gangubai Kokare and others submitted a memorandum addressed to the State government at the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
On Tuesday, scores of women under the aegis of All India Krishi Karmik Sanghatan (AIKKMS) staged protest at Mugad village in Dharwad taluk against the proposal to permit more liquor shops. District president of AIKKMS Deepa Dharwad, district secretary Sharanu Gonawar and others led the protest.
