A high voltage drama was witnessed in the State capital on Thursday when hundreds of prohibition activists under the banner of the Milita Odisha Nisha Nibarana Abhiyan (MONNA) blocked the National Highway near Satsang Vihar demanding a liquor-free Odisha.
The traffic on the NH came to a grinding halt after the activists, including women, laid siege to the road as a mark of protest giving a tough job for police. The cops deployed on the spot were later seen dragging the protesters from the spot to clear the blockade.
The protesters alleged that the Naveen Patnaik Government has destroyed the social life in the State by freely giving licences to liquor traders. “The Government is allowing liquor traders to operate everywhere in the State. Male members of our families are consuming liquor regularly putting their lives and our future at risk,” said a woman activist.
The situation turned uglier when a group of the agitators scuffled with the police at Palaspalli when they marched towards the Naveen Niwas. The scuffle took place as the police tried to disperse the activists. Shortly later, the police took several women activists to preventive custody to avoid any further untoward incident.
Leading MONNA members Kanhu Charan Behura, “Liquor is destroying thousands of families. The Government’s claim that it gets revenue from it is absolutely false. Rather, it losing revenues manifold.”
“We want the Odisha Government to declare total prohibition. We will dethrone the Government if Odisha is not declared a liquor-free State,” said another agitating member.
Earlier on the day, the anti-liquor activists had taken out their rally from Cuttack to the capital city.