A unique protest march came out on Wednesday on the streets of Hazaribagh town, under the banner of Jharkhand State Mahua (Madhuca indica) flower traders association. A large number of people first protested and then sat on dharna in front of local collectorate campus.

In the evening their representatives gave a memorandum to the district administration in which they have demanded to cancel the proposal of inclusion of Mahua in the list of stimulating item control rule.

It is really surprising that the State Government has declared Mahua flowers as a stimulating item without going into the truth that it is mainly used in the feed of cattle. Different organisations of State Government like Nafed, Veg Ged, Jhasco Fed etc. are engaged in selling, purchasing and marketing of this item since long, the leaders of traders’ association argued.

The leaders said that there are many cold storages in the State where especially Mahua is stored, which will get closed soon if the Government will not reconsider its decision. They said that the excise department has made this proposal in which they have argued that Mahua is used in making liquor in the villages, which is causing revenue loss to the Government as their country liquor sell has gone down.

The Mahua traders association claims that in the entire State, more than 25 lakh families are associated with the work of collecting Mahua flower from the forests. It is their main source of earning. With this ban they will lose a good source of earning which will force them to go to other places in search of livelihood. This decision will not only increase the problem of migration but also snatch livelihood from many tribal families as some of them are totally dependent on it.

Criticising the excise department’s proposal their leader Ganga Sao said that it is a decision which is like giving punishment to everyone for the guilt of a few people of the society. He said that in neighboring states like Chhattisgarh, UP, MP, Rajasthan, Maharastra etc. there is no ban on Mahua flower though there too some people are engaged in making liquor illegally from it.

Instead of banning making of liquor from Mahua the state government has decided to ban Mahua which is unfortunate and if the decision is right then rice, jaggery and other such items which are also used in making liquor in the villages should also be banned, added Sao.