Allowing liquor shops to reopen in Maha inappropriate: Hazare

Social activist Anna Hazare on

Thursday criticised the Maharashtra government for allowing liquor shops to re-open during the lockdown, and called the decision as "insensible and inappropriate".

He said that curbing the spread of coronavirus and saving lives was more important than earning revenue through the sale of liquor at this critical juncture.

Sale of liquor was allowed in parts of the state as the lockdown to contain coronavirus entered its third phase on Monday.

In a statement, Hazare said, "Day by day, the COVID-19 infection is increasing in the country and unfortunately Maharashtra is topping the list. It has been noticed that due to lockdown, it was possible to contain the spread of the virus to some extent."

When the country has limited medical resources, lockdown is the only option to contain the spread, he said.

 

"People should not be allowed to go out except for buying essential things. However, the state government allowed the liquor shops to remain open and as a result, long queues outside these outlets were observed," he said.

According to him, the picture of people queuing up for the alcohol, violating the social distancing norms, not wearing masks is unfortunate.

"Liquor is not an essential commodity. It is understood that the government will get the revenue out of it, but the danger of virus spread is much higher than the revenue," he added.

Hazare, who has been seeking a blanket ban on alcohol in the state, claimed that during the lockdown, a lotof people who were addicted to the liquor had stopped drinking.

"The police are already under a lotof stress due to the lockdown and now as the wine shops are open and long queues are seenoutside the shops, their pressure is expected to increase," he added.

He said that when all these liquor shops were shut during the lockdown, the crime rate went down drastically.

Hazare said that the government must have taken the decision from the revenue point of view, but the current situation is that of emergency.

"The COVID-19 situation is extraordinary and there is a possibility that our economic condition will collapse, but in such a situation saving lives of people and defeating coronavirus is important," he added.

During such times, allowing the liquor shops to operate is not appropriate, the Gandhian said.

Hazare cautioned that due to the lockdown, poor people are left with no work and money and it was a matter of survival for them. Under the present circumstances, people will take up the illegal path for alcohol, which will lead to discord in the families.

"So, looking at the current situation, the decision of the government to allow the liquor shops to remain open is inappropriate and insensible...," he added.