Bengaluru: On Martyrs’ Day, thousands of women from 23 districts of the state gathered at Vidhana Soudha and demanded that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy announce a total liquor ban in the state.
A part of the protest under the banner of Madhya Nishedha Andolana, Karnataka, Ms Mokshamma from Raichur said that because of the rampant sale of liquor, including from unlicensed vendors, violence against women has increased. Further, hard-earned money from many households is lost to alcohol, affecting the livelihoods of lakhs of people. She said, “We women represent half of the voters and we are placing our legitimate demand in front of the government. This is about peaceful and healthy lives for all. It is time that this government took this important step and banned liquor.”
The Andolana has three main demands – a complete liquor ban in the state, compensation to victim households (for losing breadwinners to liquor, for undergoing treatment and to victims of drunk driving road accidents), and empowering Grama Sabhas as per 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments to enable them to prohibit sales of liquor in their jurisdiction.
Andolana organisers expressed disappointment with the Chief Minister’s response, his insensitive remarks on their demands and on the accidental death of Renukamma, one of the protesters, during the padayatra.
Freedom fighter H.S. Doreswamy, journalist-activist Dr Vijayamma, theatre person and activist Prasanna, theatre artist Arundhati Nag, KRRS leader Chamarasa Patil, former minister B.R. Patil, farmers rights activist Kavitha Kuruganti of AIKSCC, author and academic Dr Vanamala Vishwanath and ex-ministers Motamma and Rani Satish and others have joined the struggle so far.
