Protesting against the sale and promotion of liquor in the State, prohibitionists would stage satyagraha (dharna) in front of the wine shops across the State from October 1. It was announced by the Milita Odisha Nisha Nibaran Abhiyan (MONNA), an anti-liquor body fighting for total prohibition, here on Tuesday. Talking to reporters, MONNA convener Padma Charan Nayak said they had met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on October 2 last year and discussed about prohibition of alcohol in the State. The Chief Minister had assured them to look into the issue, but in vain, he added.
“After Chief Minister’s dead silence on the issue, we again submitted a memorandum to him on April 4 to remind him about his assurance. But nothing happened till date,” said Nayak, adding, “The Chief Minister’s repeated silence in the matter proves that he will not do anything to stop sale of liquor in the State.” Finally on Sunday, he said, members of the MONNA decided that they would intensify their campaign across the State to make Odisha liquor-free. They would take the issue to streets, he added.
They would also create Jagrat Bahinis (squads of prohibitionists) to make people aware about the bad impacts of liquor. “We appeal to people of the State to be members of the Jagrat Bahinis to make our State liquor-free,” he said, adding, “Interested persons can call me (phone- 9938893445) or visit our office at Madhusudan Nagar, Unit-4, Bhubaneswar.”