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Government measures on liquor ban are cosmetic, we need a proper campaign: Sobriety campaigner Asim Sarode

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Activist and sobriety campaigner Asim Sarode, who is part of the state government's Nashabandi Mandal, Maharashtra, and works for de-addiction, points to obvious contradictions in the state's policies. While prohibition is a directive principle of state policy, the government also looks at maximising state excise revenue through higher liquor sales. Sarode, an advocate, is the brand ambassador of the mandal, which was founded by 'Rashtrasant' Tukdoji Maharaj, and is headed by Congress Rajya Sabha MP Hussain Dalwai.
Edited excerpts of an interview with dna's Dhaval Kulkarni:

The modus operandi of liquor smugglers has changed over a period of time...
We recently toured Sindhudurg district which has become a dropping point for liquor coming in from Goa. The district sees a major influx of liquor and narcotics from Goa and these substances are later distributed across the state from here. Earlier, the state government used to allege that the Goa government did little to stop this. Then, it was said that the co-ordination between the two states was less as the governments belonged to different parties. Now that the same party is in power in the two states, they must ensure better co-ordination.
The medium of transportation of liquor has also changed. In some rural areas, horses and donkeys are laden with tyre tubes full of liquor and trained to walk to a designated place.

The state government has appointed brand ambassadors for various sectors, such as horticulture, but has not acted on similar lines for de-addiction. One needs to search for officials of the prohibition department in various districts, and the department does little to promote the cause of de-addiction in colleges and other such places. There is no co-ordination between departments.

Don't the efforts of the state government to ensure sobriety seem muddled? On one hand, it was to generate revenue through sale of liquor, while on the other hand, it wants to ensure prohibition as a directive principle of state policy.
Women are agitating for prohibition in Chandrapur. However, if people agitate against liquor vends in a small village, they are beaten up and the police file cases against them. It is, however, tough to impose a ban. Despite prohibition being imposed in Wardha district, liquor flows in through Yavatmal, Nagpur, Amravati and Chandrapur. When liquor is freely available, what kind of prohibition is this?

There are too many contradictions in policies. Like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, a similar campaign must be launched to cleanse people of their wrong mindsets and behaviour. There are various issues related to morality, economic conditions, health and social stratification. Instead of confused governance, this can be left to the wisdom of the people.

What is the way out?
Liquor is available in most states except Gujarat. The Gujarat model in imposing prohibition must be projected in this regard. BJP governments in various states must replicate it. The name of Mahatma Gandhi is invoked frequently, but he had said that if he was appointed the dictator of the country for even one hour, he would introduce prohibition. Sadly, most measures taken by the government are cosmetic.

What is your organisation planning to do in this regard?
The mandal has been taken over by the government, which funds it. It has almost been mothballed. Awareness is not happening properly. When Shivajirao Moghe was the social welfare minister, he held vyasanmukti sahitya sammelan (literary meet to promote de-addiction) but this too was a symbolic measure.

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