Nasha Mukt Bharat Andolan
6/6, Jangpura- B, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110014
Golden Telangana means Addiction - free Telangana
NMBA Yatra enters 6th day: Women’s organizations and people’s groups unite to make Telangana and India addiction-free
Hyderabad, 7th Oct: The yatra initiated by the national movement against addiction entered its 6th day today, as it stepped on the Telangana soil, where the historic 6 decades long struggle by millions of people including farmers, students, workers, intellectuals, progressive organizations led to formation of the Telangana state.
Addressing a hall full of citizens at Sundariah Vigyan Kendra were the Campaign leaders Medha Patkar, Dr. Sunilam and Mansaram Jat, (M.P.) Bhupendra Singh Rawat (Delhi), Inamul Hasan (Puducherry), Arul & Anandiamma (Tamil Nadu), Raghvendra ( Bihar), Balwant Singh Yadav (Haryana), Sadashiv Maqdoom (Maharashtra) and many others. Prominent local leaders from Telangana who spoke on the occasion included Sandhya (Progressive Organization of Women), Venkat Reddy (M V Foundation and AAP), Ashalata (AIDWA), Sarvoday Prasad( Senior Sarvoday Activist) etc.
Medha Patkar saluted the courageous citizens, especially women of Telangana, who finally realized their dream of statehood. She said that the national campaign against intoxicants is taking ahead the constitutional mandate as per Article 47, which is infact the duty of lawmakers. She also spoke of the struggle of people in the Narmada Valley who are battling submergence by dams as well as by liquor. Intoxication must be done away with if we need a violence free and healthy society, she said. She called upon the Telangana people to wage another united battle with multi-pronged approach to end the govt. sponsored addiction terrorism. She remembered the sacrifices of anti-liquor activists Sasi Perumal (T.N), Gurucharan Das from (Rajasthan), Shri Babu (Karnataka) and said that we should draw inspiration from their sacrifices and Telangana must take the lead. She welcomed today’s order of the Supreme court staying the Bihar High Court’s order on the anti liquor law.
Earlier in the day when Medha Patkar called upon veteran Telengana ideologue, Shri Keshav Rao Jadhav, he welcomed the Nasha Mukt Bharat Andolan as a very timely national intervention and said that all forms of intoxicating substances which loot, impoverish and kill people including the famous Gudumba (country liquor) should be done away with.
Talking to the press, senior Human Rights activist Jeevan Kumar said that there have been 16 road accidents in the past four months, all due to alcohol. He pointed out that state sponsored alcoholism is a curse for the working classes and a gross human rights violation.
Sandhya from POW challenged the deceptive politics of successive chief Ministers of AP and Telangana who betrayed millions of women and directly or indirectly promoted liquor sales in both the states. She highlighted the need for all organizations to come together to pressurize the state which lacks political will and said that anti liquor and anti addiction campaigns are not just women’s issue but should every body’s concerns. She exposed the irony of the state whose excise day starts from 2nd Oct (Gandhi Jayanti). What is the reason for not giving the incentive of 1 laks to liquor free panchayats as per the state policy ,she questioned. She questioned the politics behind using liquor revenues for distribution of cheap rice. She called for a united battle against patriarchy and alcoholism. Even as the state policy mandates that there should not be a liquor shop within 100 meters radius of school or temple, she challenged the government’s approach in refusing to take actions on thousands of liquor shops on the ground that they are in the vicinity of private schools ( not govt) and ‘ non Endowment Temples !
Dr. Sunilam said that the NMBA is moving from strength to strength and in every city is greeted by thousands of people – students, youth, women, urban poor etc. With 150 organizations from 17 states, the Campaign will spread the fire and douse the political liquor mafia. He said that the state is responsible of the killing of 10 lakh people annually including by liquor, drugs, Gutkha, road accidents etc. He challenged all political parties not to sit on the fence and enter the battle ground or face the people’s wrath. He said Telengana is a classic example of the victory of democratic struggle and victory for the anti liquor campaign is certain if all campaigns unite together. He urged the participants from Telangana to join the culmination of the yatra at Bhopal in large numbers.
Ashalata (AIDWA) stated that AP and Telangana are competing to become number one state in promoting liquor instead of promoting people’s welfare. She said that this is not the Telangana for which students and youth fought. She also questioned thatduality of anti addiction ads on the one hand and free promotion of alcohol and drugs through films.
Shri Venkat Reddy from MVF and AAP condemned the present Chief Minister for applauding the Excise Minister for increasing the liquor based revenue from 11,000 to 14,000 crores. He urged the gathering to remember the little faces of Ranjani, Ramya and others who have become alcohol – induced road accident victims and call for a complete ban on intoxicants. Shri Nagesh, spokesperson of Congress Party expressed his solidarity with the national campaign and said that his party who certainly raise the issue in the coming days.
Ramakrishna Raju, NAPM AP and Telangana Convenor welcomed the statement of AAP and Congress representatives, but also insisted that these parties must come up with strong position statements against liquor and drugs and warned that people’s groups would condemn any shifting positions when parties are in power and in opposition.
Sarvoday Prasad said that liquor is the state weapon to subjugate people to bondage, loot the income of the poor and keep them away from questioning and challenging the corrupt political economy.
Youth leader Inamul Hasan from Khudai Khidmatdar insisted that lasting peace is possible only when addiction ends. He spoke of liquor and drugs on the poor, dalits, minorities, women etc. and called for a complete ban. He also pointed to the success of the 115 days (3,000 km) long awareness yatra in Tamil Nadu which led to closure of 500 shops.
Medha Patkar and others released a booklet on the occasion written by young activist Gaurav from Kakinada on the anti-liquor campaign. Many Participants from Aman Vedika, APSA, United Forum for RTI, POW, Human Rights Forum, CHATRI, NAPM etc. participated and unitedly took a candle light pledge to take the Nashamukta Bharat Andolan to every corner of Telangana and the country and rid the nation of the ills of addiction. The activists thanked the local citizens for their support, participation, including Shri Goud, Bilal Bhai and others who made all the arrangements. The yatris proceed towards Nagpur and Yavatmal for its 7th day, to interact with thousands of youth and citizens over there.
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