Uttarakhand elections 2017: Villages voting in favour of liquor ban

DEHRADUN: People in various villages such as Chachkanda, Rankandiyal, Ganeshpur spread over Uttarkashi and Tehri districts have decided to vote for only those candidates who would assure that no liquor shop would be opened in their villages .

Ekadeshi Devi, 71, former head of

Mahila Mangal Dal

who has been fighting for liquor ban in her village

Chachkanda of Tehri

district said, "The women in my village have decided that they would vote only that candidate who would assure us that no liquor shop would open in and around the village." Though almost illiterate, she is considered so bold that few years ago, she held one sub-divisional magistrate by collar when he refused to close the liquor shop near her village.

Pushpa Chauhan, gram Pradhan of Ganeshpur village of Uttarkashi said that most of the people in her village are united for liquor ban and would test the candidates on this scale. Those who would stand by them on this issue would get votes from them. "The government assure us of development while opening liquor shops with which they earn huge revenue. We don't want any development in lieu of these shops. Almost 16 big shops have opened all over Uttarkashi which must be closed now," she said.

The newly-formed Prajatantra party has also made liquor deterrence as their main election plank. Vimla Devi, president of the party said, "The top priority of my party would be to ban the liquor shops in the villages."

The villagers are being supported by activists like environmentalists Anil Joshi and Suresh Bhai. Anil Joshi, who Completed 24-days second phase of his

Gaon Bachao

yatra covering the hill areas of Garhwal and Kumon regions, ridiculed the state government for declaring holiday on Karva Chauth saying that it would have been better if the government had made efforts to ban liquor sale in villages which had destroyed lives of men, especially in Kumon where liquor menace is more widespread, and ruined the entire families. He appreciated Bihar government for successfully banning liquor in the state.

Suresh Bhai said that the women in the state have been battling on this issue vehemently and made many liquor shops closed. He said, men in many regions of the state have become alcoholic and beat up their wives and children while contributing nothing to the family income. He appreciated the decision of several villages to vote for only those candidates who would promote liquor ban in the areas.