Social activist Anna Hazare today said the state government should consider imposing total prohibition in Maharashtra, and blamed liquor consumption for rising accidents.
Hazare, who met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Vidhan Bhawan here, said prohibition can be implemented if the government and people take it up strongly.
"In my village at Ralegaon Siddhi there were 40 liquor distillation plants and we removed them all and for the past 20 years, no one in my village drinks alcohol, or consumes tobacco," Hazare said.
"If the people's will is strong and the government gives support, it is possible to implement total prohibition," he added.
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The roots of incidents like gangrape and murder in Kopardi - where a minor girl was gangraped and murdered brutally by three men - were in alcoholism, Hazare said, adding that due to increasing alcoholism, crimes were on the rise.
Police have failed to curb illicit liquor supply, he said, after his around half-an-hour meeting.
"I told the chief minister that village protection squads should be set up in all villages and a bill on the same should be tabled in Legislature," the social activist added.
To a query on allegations of corruption against several ministers in the state government, Hazare said, "I won't speak on this issue without any proof. If people have evidence against these ministers, they should send it to me and I will speak later.
