Javed Akhtar, Raveena Tandon oppose reopening paan, liquor shops amid lockdown: ‘Excellent, the spitting starts again’

Javed Akhtar and Raveena Tandon do not support the government’s decision to reopen liquor and tobacco shops in particular areas after May 4.

Lyricist Javed Akhtar and actor Raveena Tandon are not in agreement with the government’s decision to reopen paan, tobacco and liquor shops amid the lockdown. The decision came as part of the many relaxations announced on Friday with the two-week extension of the coronavirus lockdown in the country.

Javed Akhtar and Raveena Tandon shared their views on Twitter.

Taking to Twitter, Raveena expressed her displeasure at the decision. She wrote, “Yaaay for paan/gutka shops! Excellent, the spitting starts again! Wonderful!!”

Javed believed easy access to alcohol could have a negative impact on people amid lockdown and could even lead to a bigger rise in the already escalating numbers of domestic violence incidents in the country. “Opening liquor shops during the lock down will only bring disastrous results . In any case according to all the surveys nowadays domestic Violence has increased to a large extent .liquor will make these days even more dangerous of for women and children,” he wrote.

When a Twitter user wrote that ‘looks like Javed has quit drinking’, he replied, “30th July 1991 was the last day of my drinking.”

A “limited” lockdown which includes suspension of air, train and inter-state road travel will continue to remain in force for two more weeks from May 4 across the country, but some activities would be allowed after classifications of districts into ‘Red’, ‘Orange’ and ‘Green’ zones based on Covid-19 risk profiling.

Sale of liquor, paan, tobacco to be allowed after ensuring minimum six-feet social distancing; not over 5 persons at one time at shop. These shops should not be located in markets and malls in urban areas. However, consumption of liquor, paan, gutka, tobacco etc., is not allowed in public places during lockdown.

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