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 Today, alcohol prohibition in Gujarat is an outdated, corruption and crime breeding, short sighted law which must be systematically removed.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.The "New Bapu" Vaghela refuses to take oath that he has broken the prohibition law
Maltmarchers went to the "52 hour fast at the Gandhi Ashram" held by Shankersinh Vaghela, who is trying hard to associate himself as the next "bapu", and asked him to take an oath on the Bhadvad Gita that he has never had a drink in Gujarat ever since prohibition has been in effect. Amid thousands of his supporters, he exercised his right not to take the oath, but for a man who also
admitted that he has had "all kinds of liquors" during his travel out of state, isn't it unintelligent to compare drinking to rape, murder, etc.? By his logic, would it mean that if he can drink outside of Gujarat, he'd also go to a brothel where its legal or kill or rape someone where there is no law? No, because he himself, like everyone else, knows that drinking is not a moral violation whereas murder, rape, etc. are. because there is a clear and identifiable victim (domestic violence, which is morally unacceptable, is a matter of governance and not prohibition. Any person in Gujarat can still get hooch and tharra, drinks that are not legal in any state and will remain illegal even if prohibition is lifted). In case of prostitution, there is no victim since both parties are consenting but its morally wrong if you are being unfaithful to your spouse, present or future.
So Bapu Vaghelaji, if you can drink outside of Gujarat, please understand that in principle you are still breaking the original Bapu's spirit, who was against drinking anywhere and wanted prohibition all across India and clearly stated it will not work in just one district or state. If you say we should have prohibition in Gujarat because its his birthplace, how to define geographical area which should be referred to as birth place of gandhiji? Is it home in which he was born, or "mohalla" in which he was born, or the city in which he was born, state or entire nation?*.
We are asking for the same liberty you have exercised, that is the freedom to choose.
* Thanks for maltmarcher Shahab for putting forth this logic
since Waghela did not put his hand on the sacred Bhagwad Gita to swear that he has never had a drink in Gujarat, serious doubts are raised on his integrity on the issue.
i am sure his friends with whom he spends the evenings can come forward to shed some light on this and do away with hypocracy.
time has come to make good use of mobile phone cameras and capture those memorable sips !!
abhishek
Many have asked me about Vaghela's statement that he has had "all kinds of liquors" outside of Gujarat, and in Gujarat when he was 18. Why 18? Why not 26 or 54.43? There is some math to this:
- Vaghela was born July 21, 1940
- Gujarat broke away from Maharashtra (the old Bombay State) in 1960
So, When Gujarat was formed, he was 19 or 20, but to say 18 is to be on safer side. However, it didn't strike the malt marchers or the press then that Gujarat didn't exist when Vaghela was 18!
Cheers to you Vaghela, that was a crafty answer!
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