Noted Gandhian crusader Anna Hazare on Wednesday rooted for gram-sabhas in Maharashtra being vested with power to form their squads to combat the menace of alcoholism, which has contributed to disputes and sexual crimes in many villages across the State.
Talking to media persons after meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis whom he urged to consider total prohibition in the State, Hazare said that the gram-sabhas be allowed to “gram-rakshak dal” or “gram sanrakshak dal” comprising local residents to combat the menace of alcoholism.
Hazare said that Fadnavis, whom he met at the Vidhan Bhavan, said, “The Chief Minister was positive in his response. He assured me that the State Government would come out with a draft legislation in this regard.
Queried as to what should be the anti-liquor squad proposed by him, Hazare said, “The strengths of the dals to be formed by the villages could be 11, 13 or 15. let the State Government work on this and decide on the strength of the each of proposed squad. What is important is that the Chief Minister considered my proposal”.
Hazare, who has strictly enforced prohibition in his native village of Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district, said, “In my village, there were 40 liquor distillation units in the past. We closed down all of them and for the past 20 years, no one in my village drinks alcohol, or consumes tobacco”.
“If the people’s will is strong and the Government gives support, it is possible to implement total prohibition,” the Gandhian said.
On whether he was for Maharashtra going the way of Bihar and Kerala where there is paritial ban on liquor, Hazare said, “There are other ways also. After all, the Excise department contributes `23,000 crore to the State exchequer. This is a huge amount, you cannot lose it.”
The Gandhian said that in villages where 25 per cent women write to Collector seeking ban on liquor, the authorities should ask the Excise department and local Tehsildar to seek referendum from people on banning liquor in villages concerned.
“liquor is a major problem. In several villages where liquor is freely available, the incidence of disputes and fights is on the increase. There have been incidents of molestation and sexual assault by people under influence of liquor in these villages,” Hazare said.