Demonstrations Against Liquor Induced Poverty and Household Violence

liquor induced poverty and household violence

Alcoholism is one of the greatest evils in India today especially in rural areas. Particularly, the poorer sections of the community i.e. Harijans, downtrodden, children and women, are victims of what has come to be termed as liquor induced poverty and household violence.

Indian youth Congress proposes to launch a nation wide social movement against consumption and setting up of liquor vends near Harijan Bastis, schools and religious places. We will advocate lesser numbers of vends, strict implementation of operational timings, increasing of distance from harijan Bastis, schools, religious places etc. besides propagating against the evils of alcoholism.

Inspiration of this cause came from rural women folk who are fighting the liquor mafia along with Shri Rrandeep Singh Surjewala and other friends of Youth Congress despite active patronage being given to them ( liquor mafia) by Shri Om Chautala, Chief Minister, Haryana.

On 8th July 2000; a criminal case was registered at Narwana, Haryana, against Balmikis and Sainis who were protesting against illegal sale of liquor in front of 2 religious places Balmiki mandir and Basanti Matha as also against eve teasing and molestation of women who used the through fare to go to open air compound used for easing themselves.

When Shri Randeep Singh Surjewala visited Narwana on 9th July, 2000, about 500 men and women approached him at his residence with an appeal to save their honour and explained the whole circumstances. He spoke to D.C. and S.P. both of whom expressed their helpness to curb these activities as liquor vends in Narwana are owned by liquor king pin Babaram, right-hand man of Shri Chautala.

Shri Randeep Singh Surjewala visited the spot in the afternoon. About 700 - 1000 men and women had gathered at the spot. Liquor was being sold outside the gate of mandir on the through fare in an illegal fashion. On seeing him, crowd started shouting pro Congress slogans. Two persons selling liquor ran away leaving the stock of liquor unattended.

As crowd wanted to break and destroy the country liquor bottles, Mr. Surjewala suggested that law be not taken into their hands. He deposited the stock of country liquor in police station and gave a complaint narrating all the facts. S.H.O of police station expressed his helpness to register a case against the liquor contractor.

As Shri Chautala was informed, he told the S.P to register a criminal case against Shri Randeep Singh Surjewala and other Youth Congress workers and deputed a DSP rank officer to physically injure Shri Surjewala. A senior police official informed him about this fact and he along with Block Youth President, City Congress President and Congress Municipal Councillors have been granted anticipatory bail.

They Again held a local demonstration against the Govt. of Shri Chautala and liquor mafia on 12th July 2000.

Needless to add that Shri Chautala has a history of criminally curbing his political opponents.

IYC President, Shri Randeep Singh Surjewala took this opportunity to assure the Smt. Sonia Gandhiji that neither he nor Youth Congress would be cowed down by such tirades of Shri Chautala. They would build this as a nation wide movement against evils of alcoholism.

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