BHOPAL: Much to the surprise of her own party amid controversy surrounding the proposal to increase liquor shops in Madhya Pradesh, BJP leader Uma Bharti on Wednesday announced a statewide campaign against consumption of alcohol and drugs from Women’s day on March 8.
Bharti’s announcement comes at a time the Congress has been targeting the ruling BJP alleging the state is being converted into a “land of liquor”.
“I have asked Ganga (her colleague) to prepare to begin a de-addiction campaign for liquor and drugs on March 8, 2021, on Women’s Day. She will tell you further details herself after 5 days (February 8), tweeted Bharti, who is in New Delhi.
The BJP leader further said, “I have got support for the de-addiction campaign. This girl named Khushboo is from Madhya Pradesh and she came to Uttarakhand during my Ganga Pravas (stay near Ganga river). I saw both loyalty and courage in her, then, at the same time, named her Ganga Bharati.”
Sources close to Uma Bharti said that the former chief minister’s action to launch a drive against alcohol consumption in the state is challenging her own party’s government.
On January 21, Bharti had urged BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda to impose an alcohol ban in all BJP-ruled states. She had also welcomed the delay by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in granting permission to opening new liquor shops in Madhya Pradesh.
In her social media posts, Bharti had also cited the pressure political parties were under to win elections. “The victory of BJP in Bihar proves that due to prohibition, women gave unilateral votes to Nitish Kumar,” she had said.
“Prohibition is not a loss deal anywhere. The loss of revenue from liquor can be met from anywhere, but incidents of alcohol intoxication, murders, accidents, rape of young girls are frightening and a taint for the country and the society,” she said.
A day later, Bharti had also suggested a group of ministers and officials could be formed to effect prohibition in a phased manner and provide a timely report. She said she would start a de-addiction drive from her native village Dunda in Tikamgarh district to conduct the drive throughout the state. “There is a need for social awareness. For liquor ban, one needs to have faith, courage and good culture and chief minister Chouhan has all three qualities,” she had said.
Bharti’s fresh statement has given arsenal to the main opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh to hit out at the saffron government on its proposal to increase liquor shops and provide liquor online to the customers. Former chief minister Kamal Nath had said, “It is very shameful that the BJP is turning the state into `land of liquor’. The party that talked of complete ban on liquor before elections is now readying to push the state in the mire of liquor.”
The state BJP has now distanced itself from Bharti’s fresh remarks. Congress though, is ready to cash-in on the opportunity.
“Uma ji’s drive is against social evils but in all the leaders have close contacts with the liquor mafia. We wish her good luck and will see how much impact Uma ji creates in the saffron ruled government,” said Congress state spokesperson, JP Dhanopia.