‘Campaign should be against addiction, not liquor ban’: Bhupesh Baghel - Hindustan Times
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‘Campaign should be against addiction, not liquor ban’: Bhupesh Baghel

May 14, 2023 06:37 PM IST

Baghel said that he did even ban alcohol in the state during the COVID-19 lockdown even after witnessing deaths due to the consumption of spurious liquor as people were getting addicted to other substances

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday said that there should be a “campaign against the addiction, not for the liquor ban.” Baghel was speaking at the launch of ‘Nashamukt Chhattisgarh Abhiyaan’ (addiction-free Chhattisgarh campaign) at Prajapita Brahmakumari Ishwariya Vihswavidyala’s centre Shanti Sarovar in Raipur.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel (File Photo)
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel (File Photo)

Baghel said that he did even ban alcohol in the state during the COVID-19 lockdown even after witnessing deaths due to the consumption of spurious liquor as people were getting addicted to other substances.

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Notably, Congress in its 2018 assembly elections poll manifesto promised to ban liquor in Chhattisgarh.

The CM said that ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’ started by Prajapita Brahmakumari Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya is a commendable initiative towards building the society and appealed to people to ensure their participation in making Chhattisgarh addiction-free.

Also Read: Explained: How liquor scam of over 2,000 cr in Chhattisgarh was unearthed by ED

“Prior to the 2018 assembly elections, there was pressure from the women that there should be a liquor ban. After forming the government, we constituted a committee headed by MLA Satyanarayan Sharma to formulate a liquor ban and he visited other states to study the matter. However, it is not the responsibility of the government alone. Being the head of the state, I can even say that there should be a liquor ban in the entire state, but will it solve the problem?” Baghel said.

Baghel said that people move to other additions when they do not get alcohol.

“During the country-wide lockdown to contain COVID-19, all the shops were closed, transportation was closed, families were staying behind the door, and complaints of domestic violence started surfacing. Despite the lockdown in force for a long-time people managed to arrange stuff for addiction. The situation was such that the liquor from Madhya Pradesh and Haryana had started coming to Chhattisgarh by trucks. It was also surprising that when people did not get anything, they started drinking sanitiser due to which many lost their lives,” said the Chhattisgarh chief minister.

He added, “I did not have the courage to order a liquor ban after people died consuming spurious liquor and other substances even during the lockdown. I don’t want to implement something that will cost lives,” he added.

“…When women are asked for an alcohol ban, they raise both hands in agreement. However, when they are asked whether ‘Gudaku’ (a paste made of tobacco) should be banned, they remain silent as women mostly indulge in the consumption of Gudaku,” said Baghel, adding that the campaign should be against addiction not only for liquor ban.

Responding to this, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit spokesperson said that the CM is misleading the people. He said that everyone knows how and why liquor is important for the state revenue.

“Firstly, the government is running on the income generated by the excise department and a scam of more than Rs.2,000 crore has been unearthed by the ED [Eforcement Directorate]. This is a sheer dualism that on one hand the government is promoting liquor and on the other, they are speaking on a campaign against addiction. Secondly, when they included a liquor ban in the manifesto, did they not study or think about it? Was the manifesto only for votes?,” said Ajay Chandrakar, chief spokesperson of BJP in Chhattisgarh.

The ED had earlier this week unearthed a liquor scam of over 2,000 crore in Chhattisgarh and claimed that the syndicate comprised high-level state government officials, private persons and political executives.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh. Reports Maoism, Politics, Mining and important developments from the state. Covered all sorts of extremism in Central India. Reported from Madhya Pradesh for eight years.

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