comes, ironically, from Gandhi's Dandi March (also called Salt March) 75 years ago, which protested the salt laws of the British rule in India. Gandhi, who also said that you have the duty to disobey unjust laws, was the chief proponent of an alcohol-free India. One of our objectives is to make a case that the context under which Gandhi instituted prohibition is not valid today. Today, alcohol prohibition in Gujarat is an outdated, corruption and crime breeding, short sighted law which must be systematically removed. Keeping up with Bapu's spirit, the Maltmarch community plans to march to the Sachivalay and have a drink in defiance of the prohibition law (date undecided). 
Donors will get a summary of where & how their funds were used. Don't worry, we don't use donation money to buy booze.Gujarat: a state of denial
Submitted by maltmarch on Sun, 12/24/2006 - 11:57am. ::
Gujarat is a safe place (or so they claim) - and some attribute it to the lack of alcohol. Of course, the fact that its also got the highest cases of illicit liquor deaths, police bribes for alcohol, 5th highest per capita criminal cases recorded in the country, etc. is ignored nd alcohol is automatically associated with crime (we should be reminded that, in some countries, women not covered head to toe are considered a "bait" for instigating crime? The same countries also have a ban on alcohol. Is that the kind of society we aspire to be?). Alcohol, almost the world over, is considered a drink of merriment. Isn't it time for Gujarat to have an attitude check? Take economics. A pro-prohibitionist may argue the Rs. 2500 crore that goes into the underworld can be blocked and brought about into legal channel through rural & women empowerment, education, etc. - and the
Govt. will miraculously get its act together, challenge street capitalism, wring out corruption from its system, and employ an additional battalion of police to enforce it. If anyone thinks that is a good solution, think again. Gujarat has always had alcohol - but we've become such lazy citizens that any change is frowned upon. A policeman gets his hafta regularly because of the illicit liquor sold on the streets, a politician gets lots of money to stay chup, and any ruling political party - other than being uneasy with change - doesn't want to take a chance if it means losing votes. The 2,500 crores rs. we lose were only 300 crores per annum less than 20 years ago, and the figure only gets bigger each year. The result is we seem to be the most desperate state to attract investment from other states and FDI
but are unwilling to change.
Govt. will miraculously get its act together, challenge street capitalism, wring out corruption from its system, and employ an additional battalion of police to enforce it. If anyone thinks that is a good solution, think again. Gujarat has always had alcohol - but we've become such lazy citizens that any change is frowned upon. A policeman gets his hafta regularly because of the illicit liquor sold on the streets, a politician gets lots of money to stay chup, and any ruling political party - other than being uneasy with change - doesn't want to take a chance if it means losing votes. The 2,500 crores rs. we lose were only 300 crores per annum less than 20 years ago, and the figure only gets bigger each year. The result is we seem to be the most desperate state to attract investment from other states and FDI
but are unwilling to change.
Recent comments