Nitish’s liquor policy inspires, unites anti-BJP social groups in ‘dry’ Gujarat!

In 1935, eminent Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan wrote in his magnum opus: “Bair karate mandir-masjid, mel karati madhushala” (Temples and mosques create disharmony, but a tavern unites them all!). Nearly 80 years later, however, the Gujarat government’s ‘weak’ prohibition policy has united all the anti-BJP groups in Mahatma Gandhi’s home state in support of their common demand for a stringent prohibition policy. And they seem to be deriving inspiration from Nitish Kumar!

The state government has, ever since its creation in 1960, tried to enforce the prohibition policy and public crushing of “seized” wine bottles under bulldozers has been an annual ritual publicised in the media. But bootleggers often run a booming business across Gujarat and hooch-related deaths in the state are not uncommon. Some of the well-known names from Gujarat — both famous and infamous — are said to have begun their “careers” as bootleggers! Everyone who wants to have a drink or two in the state knows how and from whom to obtain liquor and at what price. Holidaying youngsters normally flock to the neighbouring states of Rajasthan, Maharashtra or Madhya Pradesh or the Union Territories of Daman, Diu or Silvassa to get their fill. The only major difference between Gujarat and the other states, on this count, is that liquor is not openly available nor are there public displays or sign boards of wine shops in the Mahatma’s home state.

But, equally interesting is the checkered list of nearly one lakh official “permit holders” from across the state; they include the state’s who’ who -- past, present and future! They get their monthly quota of alcohol at subsidised rates on such “grounds” as health, their being non-Gujarati settlers in Gujarat, or background of returning after serving outside the state, and the like. Each year, they get an approved doctor’s “certificate” to renew their permit. The state government, under Narendra Modi, also tried to relax some norms to attract foreigners to SEZs and tourist places but with little success — and the ban on liquor is seen as a major stumbling block in the promotion of the tourism policy. And, unlike other States struggling with liquor or no-liquor policies, Gujarat simply derives no revenue from its sale: no sale, no revenue, profit or loss! Nobody knows for sure the market size of this underground liquor business. Political profit or loss is, however, a different matter.

The prohibition policy has now turned into a socio-political issue like never before, particularly for the BJP, which seems lost on this count. Since July 2015, Gujarat has witnessed multiple social groups agitating on a number of platforms, for a variety of issues, with varying success; if the Patels have been agitating to demand a part of the reservation pie, the OBCs-SCs-STs are protesting any change in it. On the other hand, the Dalits are also up in arms after the recent incident in which cow vigilantes had thrashed some Dalit youths for allegedly skinning a cow. Clearly, the BJP, preparing to retain Gujarat in its kitty next year, has been rattled with these setbacks — despite an ineffectual Congress Party and a virtual non-starter Aam Admi Party -- and even replaced Anandiben Patel with Vijay Rupani in a bid to correct its political arithmetic.

In the backdrop of a widespread but underground liquor culture, the anti-BJP forces in Gujarat seem to have got inspiration from the current prohibition policy of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is the bête noire of the BJP and Modi. In fact, Alpesh Thakore, Convener of the Kshatriya-Thakore Samaj and OBC-SC-ST Ekta Manch, has been organising big public meetings across the state over the last few months, administering an oath to his supporters to shun liquor. Addressing a massive gathering in Gandhinagar on November 6, he demanded a Bihar-like strict anti-liquor law in Gujarat also. His outfit, which had also tried to stop trains on October 2, announced plans to intensify its multi-pronged agitation on January 21 next year with awareness marches being planned across 112 Vidhan Sabha constituencies, out of a total of 182. The Thakore Samaj has already enforced a policy not to marry their children in families having drunkards!

The massive, day-long anti-liquor public meeting held on a Sunday in the state capital is different as Patidar Andolan leader Hardik Patel, who is currently cooling his heels in Udaipur following a court order, sent a video message to support the agitation led by the very group protesting against any relaxation in the reservation policy. Dalit morcha leader Jignesh Mewani, SC and ST leaders and minorities have also joined forces with Thakore, who said his community had been facing severe social problems due to the lax implementation of the prohibition policy.

The very presence of thousands of people at an eight-hour meeting apparently rattled the state government. Rupani assured the rallyists’ delegation that it would implement the law with all the force at its command. Later, senior Cabinet minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma also promised them that it would seek legal opinion and table a new bill on prohibition policy in the budget session of the Assembly.

Clearly, after reservation, the BJP’s new headache could be the liquor policy!

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