Sept 20 will remain dark day in prohibition history: Hareswar
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 20 2022:
While alleging that the BJP government lifted liquor prohibition Act without considering and side-lining movement against drugs and intoxicants being spearheaded by Meira Paibi and civil Society organisations, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) vice president Hareswar Goswami has said that September 20 will remain as a dark day in the history of prohibition.
Addressing media persons at Congress Bhawan, here, on Thursday, Hareswar recalled that Manipur was declared a 'dry state' in 1991 after enacting Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act, 1991 following public demand particularly from Meira Paibi due to social and domestic issues related to consumption of liquor.
The past government led by Congress attempted to lift prohibition but was unable to do so much due to intense agitations by Meira Paibi and other civil society organisations.
Unfortunately, the BJP government sidelined prolonged movement against drugs and intoxicants and decided to lift the prohibition on September 20, 2022, he said and remarked that September 20 will ever remain as a dark day in the history of prohibition.
While recalling how the movement launched by womenfolk against alcohol commonly known as 'Nisha Bandh' started in the state, Hareswar Goswami said that a, woman who called out her husband from a liquor vendor was badly beaten by owner of the vendor and his accomplices on December 30, 1975.Consequently, a large number of women came out and started 'Nisha Bandh' movement in Kakching during the time.
After the Kakching incident, several localities formed their own 'Nisha Bandh' and Nupi Samaj too emerged.
Despite formation of 'Nisha Bandh' in various localities, there were cases of alcoholic husband beating wife to death and torching of wife by inebriated husband by pouring kerosene.
These incidents compelled Nupi Samaj to call a bandh on April 2, 1980 and 'Nisha Bandh' movement spread across the state after the bandh.
As 'Nisha Bandh' movement intensified and spread far and wide, the then MPP government led by chief minister Rk Ranbir enacted the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act, 1991 and the state became a 'dry state' until the present government lifted the Act on September 20 this year.
While rejecting BJP government's claim that prohibition was lifted purely on health ground and has got nothing to do with earning revenue, Hareswar Goswami said that the government is trying to confuse public by giving different reasons for lifting the prohibition.
On the next day after the state cabinet decided to lift the prohibition, a minister told media persons that the prohibition was lifted due to loss of Rs 600 crore per year from the government revenue and the same minister cited health ground as reason for lifting the prohibition days later.
A few days later, the same minister talked about regulating liquor as the Prohibition Act could not be effectively implemented, Hareswar Goswami pointed out, adding that alcohol is a slow poison and this has even been accepted by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
As per WHO report, liquor consumption kills at least three lakh people across the globe every year apart from creating social and domestic issues.
Despite understanding these facts, the BJP government went on to lift the prohibition with the sole intention of generating revenue after confusing public by giving altogether different reasons, Hareswar Goswami alleged.
He further contended that the present government is bankrupt and unable to distribute even pension amount and accordingly decided to lift the prohibition to earn revenue.
He then appealed to the BJP government to review the decision of lifting the prohibition and implement the prohibition Act in a more effective way with some modification.
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