If Hindus, Muslims, Christian, Sikhs and Gandhians can live togeher peacefully....
Why not drinkers and teetotalers? We have accepted secularism as the idealogy for our nation, whereby even religion is allowed as a freedom of choice, why not drinking which is a part of many cultures and religion such as christianity, sikhs, and also some tribes? The Gandhians imposing teetotalism on the rest of us is like the Taliban imposing strict "moral" code on everyone under their rule in Afghanistan. Forced imposing of moral values just doesn't work - although, unfortunately, it can last a hell of a lot of time, as with the prohibition because the supressors play on the fear of the population. If the current politicians playing on the fears of the population by staging anti-prohibition movement had been around Gandhiji's time, they would have tried to dissuade him from a secular, democratic India and, instead, opted for a socialist, religious fundamentalist nation. And we know that everyone has a different understanding of religion, just like different Gandhians have of Gandhiji's idealism.
One argument I respect everyone's concern for and is very sensitive is domestic abuse because of alcohol consumption, which is a serious social evil, not just in India but everywhere in the world. However, my view is that its more acute wherever there is a considerable suppression of freedom of speech, wide gender gap, poverty and lack of education. But those who think the best way to deal with this is through alcohol prohibition need a serious reality check - banning alcohol will be akin to requiring women to wear burkhas €“ same primitive mindset. People who are advocates of burkha say that any exposure to "women" leads to temptation (like women are objects), the same stand ro-prohibitionists take towards alcohol. The burkha, mixed with prohibition, does in fact create a deadly combination of domestic abuse. But we live in a free, democratic society, where the women have the right to shun the burkha if they so please. Shouldn't the drinkers, and everyone knows there are many, in Gujarat have the same right?
hellos ----
isnt it ironic that inspite of the ban --gujarat has the max consumption of liquor ---- dont't these bright policy makers get it -restrictions lead to curosity and rebels ! but why shud one bother cos its business for everybody involved --while ppl buy it in black ---i wonder where did Gandhiji preach bout double standards and hypocrasy ----
from sumbody who relishes everysip while drinking and miss having favourite drinks here ---cos its simply too expensive or not available !!!
--mamta
Why should there be a ban of Alchohol just in Gujrath ? Are other states are less Indians or did MKG loved Gujrath more and others less ? I myslef do not drink , i quit several years ago. But ban in one perticular state lead to currution , smuggling and other evils which are more damaging . Certainly alchohol has creates its own evils , But banning it from one perticular state just because MKG was born there is rediculous and should allowed . We are in 21st century , truth be told hardly anyone follows MKG's beliefs . If it were so Gujrath wouldn't have seen the worst religious riots , where were Gandians then ? Hiding ? I think Govts should stop being a 'nanny' as outside India peole see India as a "Nanny State" . It't time peolpe should have their own rights to deciede whether they want to consume alchol or to refrain.

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). 

Recent comments