Wearing Gandhi caps and waving the tricolour, they fasted and chanted Vande Mataram
Students staging a protest. (Photo: DC/File)
Alappuzha: Not content with merely hoisting the national flag on August 15, students of SDV UPS, Neerkunnam near Amabalappuzha, marked the day with a protest to demand the closure of liquor shops on Independence Day.
Wearing Gandhi caps and waving the tricolour, they fasted and chanted Vande Mataram and verses from the Quran, Bible and Bhagavat Gita, to draw attention to their demand. The fasting students received overwhelming support from politicians, parents, teachers and social activists as they sat in protest before the school, doing their bit to create a better society.
Addressing the children, local MLA, G Sudhakaran said their demand should be looked into by the government and liquor stores closed on August 15 in the state. “ The initiative of the students deserves to be appreciated. Alcoholism among parents leaves many children without opportunities and turns them into criminals,” he regretted.
Organised by Thanal, an anti-liquor club formed by students of the school, the protest was the children’s last resort after their demand to shut liquor stores on Independence Day received no response from the authorities, says their teacher, S Suresh Kumar, who is also secretary of Thanal.
“The students had written to the Prime Minster, Chief Minster and Excise Minister to take steps to shut down all liquor stores in the state on Independence Day two months ago, but received no response. Liquor stores remain open on August 15 only in Kerala and Karnataka, while in all other states they close for the day as a mark of respect,” he points out, adding that the students had collected a hundred signatures from people in the area in support of their campaign.
“In the past they visited around 425 residences in a ward inAmabalappuzha North Panchayat to encourage alcoholics to go to de-addiction centres. As a result of their campaign, at least 14 people have given up drinking and as many as 40 others are being treated at a de-addiction centre here,” Mr Kumar adds with pride.
School leader, Silla, who is a member of Thanal, says the day long fast had strengthened the resolve of the students to continue their crusade against alcohol. “We don’t know whether the government will take our demand seriously, but we will continue our fight. During our Onam vacations, we will conduct awareness classes among residents of the panchayat on the consequences of alcoholism,” she adds.
( Source : dc )
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