On 29th Sunday October, 2017 massive
awareness rally was organized at APMC Gunj premises, Raichur with
the collaboration of 34 likeminded NGO forum. In the rally 18
district women representatives were present for this protest rally.
Women protest against liquor ban in entire Karnataka holding
placards and banners in the rally. The protestors were also chanting
slogans against alcohol consumption and demanding government to put
complete ban on alcohol and made a specific demand to political
parties to include prohibition in their manifestos saying “Our vote
is for those who implement prohibition”. During the rally political
representatives were called (Congress, BGP, and JDS) and memorandums
were submitted to make Karnataka as NASHA MUKT Karnataka.
To expand the support base, the organizations have been making
efforts to rope in religious heads with influence in the region.
Medha Patkar, a leader of Nasha Muka Bharat Movement was the speaker
of the day. She said in her speech “Alcoholism is more serious than
unemployment, illiteracy, poverty and other problems. It’s spoiling
peace in families and pushing them to impoverishment. It’s also
weakening people’s movement for livelihood and rights that we had
built years of hardships. Further she said a hardship caused by
alcoholism was pushing victims, particularly women, to the movement.
Drinking is considered a social evil in traditional India, and women
have been at the forefront of the fight against alcohol abuse as
many marriages and families have been blighted by drunkards. Nearly
25,000 women benefited and actively participated in this protest
rally.
